Mike,
A thorny problem, but progress can be made if there is good
communication between relevant parties. At UNL we have c.2000
undergraduate modules which COULD appear in a catalogue. Therefore
we have adopted different approaches.
Please see my comments below,
Good luck,
Bruce Wilson
Records Unit, Academic Registry,
University of North London
London N7 8DB
Tel: 0171.753.3255 (internal x2866)
> At 16:54 20/04/99 +0100, you wrote:
> >At Southampton Institute, we are trying to reconcile the benefits of giving
> >reasonable advance notice to students of their Sept/Oct timetables via a Unit
> >Catalogue, with the pitfalls of having provided incorrect information once
> >student numbers, staffing and course details change closer to the date.
> >
> >Please can you help with this survey of current practices. One word answers are
> >fine (Q4 may be obvious); I'll send out the survey results by Fri 30 April.
> >
> >1. Do you produce a catalogue (either electronically on the Net or on paper)
> >which gives advance notice of timetabled times of units/modules?
Yes, both on the Web and in printed format (separated by Faculty,
no single catalogue). Here at UNL, all of our undergraduate students
are required to submit programmes for the following session in the
preceding March.
>
> 2. If yes, in which month is it issued (ready for Sept term)?
March
> >3. In which month do continuing students receive realistic timetables (for
> March - BUT we have been increasingly aware of the problems of
timetable changes necessitated by lack of demand for some modules,
excessive demand for others, together with the uncertainties of
recruitment.
Therefore we have adopted a block timetabling system, with Core
modules ALWAYS running in the same timeslot(s) with fixed blocks for
options for a subject(not all options run every year). Also, as any
changes may require a complete reprint of the data to be
re-circulated, put up on noticeboards etc we have developed a
comprehensive module timeslot information system on the Web. Staff
and students use this in large numbers to check programmes, rather
than relying totally on printed notices as in the past - see the
UNL "Module-Line"
http://www.unl.ac.uk/courseinfo/
this provides links to individual modules, which in turn link to a
display of their individual timeslot(s); this is updated as
necessary. Eventually we hope to be able to link this to our Room
Bookings database, thus enabling the Building & room number also to
be displayed.
However, we do not attempt to display the full catalogue on the
Web.
>
> 4. In which month do Level One students receive realistic
timetables (for Sept)?
> - same as for continuing students.
However, there is still one important factor - the accuracy of the
information displayed relies totally on the quality of the source
data. If e.g. decisions are taken by a dept. to cancel a module,
and this is not relayed to the Web team, then incorrect data will
continue to be displayed. However, we are working on it.
>
> >If you would like further details, or to chat about any of this, I'll be
> pleased to hear from you.
> >
> >Mike Foster
> >Timetabling Officer, Southampton Institute
> >tel: 01703 319974
> >e-mail: [log in to unmask]
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