Thanks Nick, the way you put it makes it sound unbelievably simple.  I will certainly chat to my IT guy and see what we can do, it just seems so obvious I can't believe it's not possible.  I'll let you know how I get on.

Cheers

Chris

-----Original Message-----
From: Nick Bowskill [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 04 December 2010 19:56
To: Annamarie McKie; Pottinger, Isabelle B; Christine Pickering
Cc: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: 1:1 booking

Dear Annamarie, Isabelle & Christine,
I would imagine there would be lots of online calendar systems
available that could do that job. At an extreme there's even Google
calendar - free and online (although I accept there may be issues
putting student data through google). I'd ask your IT people if they
have something already. If nothing meets your requirements, I can
build one for you from scratch but it would depend on whether you
wanted it hosted outside or inside the university environment and how
happy your IT people would be with any chosen option.

I would picture it running as an online calendar in which you declare
the slots that are to be available. Once you make it 'public' to the
registered students they log on and book a slot from those visible and
available. Once a slot is taken no other person can have it. Its
relatively straight-forward for the users and you as tutors certainly
have no need to be constantly re-organising slots etc. The system
would take care of it once you'd set out which slots were available.
You could have a calendar online for each course or as many events as
you liked. You could share or restrict them as you wanted.

I have a software development company that I allowed to run down while
doing my phd. We did all kinds of bespoke projects for different
universities. It would be something we could tackle for you once
you're spec was defined and the budget etc. However, I would still
feel that it may be re-inventing wheels and that you may have
something available already internally. I'm happy to talk about it
further but I would just check with your IT guys first.

best wishes,
Nick










On 4 December 2010 17:46, Christine Pickering <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

Yep, that's pretty much what I do too.  The fundamental flaw is when the

slot they pick has gone and I have to start again with a new set of free

slots.  Am I right in concluding that you don't then offer additional

slots?  For me I might have 15 requests (sometimes more at 'crunch' times of

the year) in a week, and I can't necessarily offer out 15 slots so they have

to compete, and some of them might not be able to make any of the free times

I can offer in the first instance.  As my role is both study support and

pastoral care I am nervous about missing a student who really needs to see

me.  Am I being too soft?  I do waste an awful lot of time negotiating times

by email, it has to be said..

Chris

LDI

University of Leeds

LEEDS

LS2 9JT

0113 343 6271

[log in to unmask]

From: learning development in higher education network

[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Pottinger, Isabelle B

Sent: 03 December 2010 13:57

To: [log in to unmask]

Subject: Re: 1:1 booking

If there's good software out there that does what you're seeking, I'd be

interested in hearing about it too.

I aim to offer a very flexible service and students can contact me in any

way they like.  I try to offer a particular student a choice of three day/

time combinations, telling them that these same appointments will be offered

to other students too, on a first-come, first-served basis.  When students

fail to get back to me promptly they find that the appointment(s) that

suited them are all taken.

I find a strategy such as this concentrates a student's mind wonderfully and

helps them rethink their priorities.

Best wishes,

Isabelle

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Isabelle Pottinger

Effective Learning Advisor/ Academic Counsellor

Library

Heriot-Watt University

________________________________

From: learning development in higher education network on behalf of

Annamarie McKie

Sent: Thu 02/12/2010 21:40

To: [log in to unmask]

Subject: 1:1 booking

Hello there,

We are looking to harmonise practices across our five sites.  Currently if

students want to book a 1:1 they can email, telephone, or fill in a sign up

sheet.

This enables us to operate a very flexible service, but means in the case of

emails and telephone messages that we can sometimes end up leaving messages

and waiting for replies, while we agree a suitable appointment time with the

student.

Does anyone have any other systems they can recommend?

Many thanks

Annamarie McKie

LLS Learning and Research Services Manager

University for the Creative Arts

Tel: 01622 205389

E: [log in to unmask]

________________________________

Heriot-Watt University is a Scottish charity registered under charity number

SC000278.

--
--------------------------------------
Nicholas Bowskill,
Faculty of Education,
University of Glasgow

Shared Thinking - Reflective Practice at the Collective Level

Web Site: http://www.sharedthinking.info