UNITECAUCKLAND

3 Days of presentations, information exchanges, networking and eating and eating and eating

108 participants from various institutions from the Australasian region including

UNITEC (NZ)RMITUNE (University of New England)DEAKIN (my old stomping ground)VU CHARLES DARWINUoA (University of AdelaideUTS (University of Sydney)MACQUARIEBOND

And representatives from Scientia (who provide the product Syllabus we think we know so well) to outline product updates, discuss common issues/problems and what is in the pipeline for future development of the software.

Presentations included

Open forums on the Enterprise Suite

Pro’s and Con’s of Auto versus Manual Scheduling

Use of student sets and programs of study in Auto scheduling

Virtual Timetabling- A tool for developing Future Teaching Space Needs (by our own Nicole Eaton)

Running room utilisation or auditing (again Nicole)

Working with a decentralised Timetabling model (by our own Craig King)

How to make timetabling a loving, joyful experience (more on that at the end)

The University of New England’s Presentation

This was one great example, of what other Universities are working on to improve the timetabling process for their students and staff.

Students can access their live timetable through:

Personal calendars on PCs and Macs Google and other online calendars Via Mobile phones (smart phones with

calendar and internet) Blending a study calendar with a

personal calendar They also have Instructions via

YouTube vodcasts for students

What did I get from this

An insight into the other side....

A chance to look at what other universities are doing with timetabling, the systems they have in place and how they get that information to staff and students.

Recognition that all Universities face the same problems we do with:

Poor usage of rooms on campus, yet still not enough space suitable for current teaching styles.

Staff don’t want to teach outside of 9am – 3pm.

Fighting historic thinking, ingrained expectations and getting information out of staff

And most importantly

An even better understanding of the need to work together with Property Services, Academics and the most important group US (the brains behind the operation at ground zero) Timetablers.

We do not just schedule rooms we put together the best possible spaces and resources to enhance the teaching and learning experiences for staff and students. It is a huge task

We need to communicate this to and train our staff in giving us the information we really need in order to get the best out of an amazing system for the benefit of everyone

Communication between Timetablers when mapping and planning the year to come for better use and sharing of spaces and resources (which I think we already do quite well)

We also need to coax staff out of the old routines, familiar rooms and thinking patterns and introduce them to the rest of the university.....because they

actually might like it.

How do we do this

By making timetabling a loving, joyful experience

Plan the process

Know the institutional rules – university policy and procedure

Have a set of timetabling ground rules and publish them

Set milestones and publish them

Insist they be met and have a reason they should be met and have a consequence if they are not

How do we do this

Communicate everything to everyone

Talk to people face to face

Know what you need (Data)

Confirm and question everything you are given (question as often as needed)

Have a playtime