CFOS/Efficiency and Effectiveness of ODL/Exercise 9.2 - Sample Answers

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<Return to Unit 9

Exercise 9.2 - Answer Sheet

Programme Delivery Mode Total Student Enrolments Total Graduates Success Rate (percent) Total Costs (Cdn.$) Average Costs per Student (Cdn.$) Average Cost per Graduate (Cdn.$)
Cert in Cost Accounting ODL 131 43 34,977 267
Cert in Cost Accounting Conventional 954 886 712,433 747
Programme as a Whole Combined 1,085 929 747,410 689
Efficiency Ratio 0.36


In this case study, delivering the Certificate in Cost Accounting programme through paper-based distance education is considerably more efficient than through traditional, face-to-face classes. When the average cost per learner for the ODL mode of delivery is divided by the average cost for the conventional teaching approach, the efficiency ratio is 0.36. This means that the unit cost for ODL is only 36% of that for classroom-based studies. When the efficiency ratio is less than 1.00, then ODL is more efficient than conventional education.

As discussed in Unit 2, in most cases where sufficient students register for a particular programme and variable costs are controlled, the average cost per student will be lower for ODL systems than for conventional education. This is a key difference in the cost structure between the two modes of delivery.

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