Timetable Development Overview

This two day instructor led course is designed for those who have some experience in timetabling and require an overview of how classes, rooms and teachers are put together in a clash free timetable according to curriculum and school constraints using the latest in specialist timetabling software, The Timetabler V7TE.  The Roll Class concept developed by Timetabling Solutions will be used.  This course covers the essential knowledge needed for the Advanced Courses.

Audience

This course is designed for those who have some experience in timetabling who wish to:

• Use The Timetabler V7TE to aid in the creation of a clash free timetable
• Learn the basic timetabling principles

At Course Completion

After completing this course, you will be able to:

• Import the elective line grid into the timetable
• Use a range of tests to determine whether the timetable is possible
• Use a range of tools designed to aid and speed up the construction process
• Create a block or MRCG
• Increase the flexibility of your timetable using a Room Usage Record or RUR
• Use the principles of timetable flexibility

Prerequisites

This course assumes that you have these skills:

• Perform simple file access tasks, such as browsing a directory structure, opening and saving files, and creating folders
• Describe the curriculum that is to be timetabled in your school
• A basic understanding of Timetabling Concepts - It is assumed that participants have either attended the Timetabling Concepts course or have some experience in timetabling.
• Understand the concept of blocking, lines or student grids

Course Materials

You will be provided with a lesson manual which describes and documents all processes used in this course.  Sample data will be provided and data from real schools to use in a range of “hands on” tasks.

Please note:  Participants at venues other than the training room in Highton, Geelong are to provide their own notebook (laptop) computer for the course and to have administration rights to be able to install appropriate software.

Course Outline

Day 1

• Define your timetable structure: How many periods per day, number of days in the cycle, multi campus sites, etc
• Import teacher and room details from school administration systems
• Analyse the various range of Curricula: Lined, Fully blocked, Core based, etc
• Define the curriculum in the school
• Define other duties for which staff are responsible and their time allowances, e.g., Year Level Coordinator
• Define meetings that occur during the timetable period
• Enter subject, teacher and room allocations
• Use of auto staffing for teacher allocations
• Use tools to link various classes together
• Organise room flexibility using a tool called a Room Usage Record

Day 2

• Introduction to timetable construction principles
• How to introduce flexibility into your timetable construction
• Use tools to determine if your timetable is possible to construct
• Use tools to show what staffing and room allocations need to change in order for your timetable construction to be possible
• How to use the tools to avoid your timetable “locking up”
• How to place certain classes at certain times according to the school's constraints
• How to control part-time teacher constraints
• How to use the Automatic Timetable Construction tool
• How to use the Automatic Rooming function
• How to edit the final timetable
• How to view and print reports
• How to set up and assign staff to yard duties