Rational approach to teaching load allotment of faculty members in higher education: A case study in Saudi Arabia

Creating student-centered classrooms that enable multiple sensory stimulation in a collaborative work environment demands much more than a teacher centered one. Today's classrooms are diverse and demanding and the institutional policy of faculty teaching load has greater impact on teaching-learning. Perfect faculty work load system is very difficult to be developed as the quantum of work cannot be measured properly and extends beyond college working time. The objective of the present paper is to identify the lacunae (if any) of the existing system of measurement of teaching work load in GCC countries through a case study of Yanbu Industrial College in Saudi Arabia, and to search for an alternative, which is more scientific and practical. The present practice of course work load measurement in YIC is based on the summation of contact hours and in this system equal weightage is given to the credit load and thereby considers only the preparation for the course. The actual course work load including the human labor in the class room and emotional stress related with the assessment of students directly depends on the number of students in the class. The paper argue that a rational approach of measurement of facultycourse work load should consider number of courses (sections) taught, total course contact hours taught, and total student contact hours taught. The model developed in the paper gives equal emphasis to all the indicators of facultycourse work load including course preparation, course delivery, course work assessment, and final examination. The paper conclude by offering suggestions; the implications of overload on class room teaching learning process, and teachers’ scholarly contribution including research and development.