Timetabling Training

Timetabling participants will gain the most benefit from attending the Student Options (1 day) and Timetable Development (2 day) modules consecutively to see the whole timetabling process, however modules can be attended separately. The course is suitable for new and experienced users.

Student Options

This one day instructor led core training module of our software is designed for new timetablers who have some experience in timetabling and require an overview of how student elective subjects (options) are managed, using Version 9. The module illustrates how student core and elective lines are managed within the Roll Class concept developed by Timetabling Solutions.

Participants will use prepared data to develop the knowledge base and skills essential to creating grid lines. Participants will gain the most benefit from attending the Student Options (one day) and Timetable Development (two days) modules consecutively to see the whole timetabling process. However the Student Options module (one day) can be attended separately if preferred.

Audience

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

Use Version 9 to enter, analyse and manage student subject choices
Use Version 9 to create elective lines or blocks
Create the elective building blocks for different curriculum models
Prepare elective lines to import into the timetable

At Module Completion

After completing this core module, participants will be able to:

Set up the structure for a grid
Create a number of different grids using different curriculum models
Interrogate student subject choices to verify validity
Create and edit class codes
Plan draft staffing and specialist room usage for a grid
Calculate the staffing cost of the grid
Populate and manage class composition
Print results
Create an exam timetable

Prerequisites

This core module assumes that participants have these skills:

Perform simple file access tasks, such as browsing a directory structure, opening and saving files, and creating folders
Describe the process of timetable construction in their school

Course Materials

Participants will be provided with a lesson manual which describes and documents all processes used in this module. Sample data will be provided. Each participant will be allocated a computer, so there is no need to bring one

Module Outline

Create files to store information
Set the structure of the grid lines or blocks, e.g., how many electives do students study?
How many lines or blocks will be created?
Import student details and subject names and codes from School Administration Systems
Enter student subject choices in priority order
How to handle core versus elective based subjects
Give subjects different weightings (Units)
Check student subject choices for prerequisites and other requirements
How to deal with room and teacher constraints, e.g., Only ONE Science Lab.
Automatically create grid lines or blocks
Counselling students
Print class lists
Create an exam timetable
Import grid lines into the Timetable Development module in preparation for timetabling

Timetable Development

This two day instructor led core training module of our software 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, Version 9.

Participants will gain the most benefit from attending the Student Options (one day) and Timetable Development (two days) modules consecutively to see the whole timetabling process. However the Timetable Development module (two days) can be attended separately if preferred.

Audience

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

Use Version 9 to aid in the creation of a clash free timetable
Learn basic timetabling principles

At Course Completion

After completing this course, participants will be able to:

Import the elective line grid into the timetable
Use a range of tools, such as Blocking Patterns and Look Ahead Tests 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
Create clash free timetables
Incorporate meetings in the timetable
Produce student and teacher timetables
Create and manage Yard Duty rosters
Generate a variety of reports
Export to a wide number of administration and software packages

Prerequisites

This core module assumes that participants 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

Module Outline - Day One

Define the school's 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, eg, Year Level Coordinator
Define meetings that occur during the timetable period
Enter subject, teacher and room allocations
Use tools to link various classes together
Organise room flexibility using a tool called a Room Usage Record
Set up yard duty details

Module Outline - Day Two

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
How to export to Administration systems

Daily Organiser

This one day instructor led course is designed to enhance the knowledge and skills of staff responsible for daily organisation.

Topics covered include: how to manage replacements for teacher absences, use of faculties when deciding replacements, yard duty, unavailable teachers, over and under allotted teachers, in lieu of classes, cancelled classes, excursions, exam supervision, short term replacements, bulletins and changes to class lists as a result of excursions.

Audience

This course is designed to cater for all those responsible for the daily organisation in their school, newcomers and seasoned veterans. The course assumes that participants have no previous software experience in daily organisation and so guides and allows skill development for all participants in all the features and tools within the Daily Organiser module of Version 9.

At Course Completion

After completing this course, participants will be able to:

Use the Daily Organiser module to enter staff, class, yard duty
Manage staff loads when allocating extras
Manage timetabling changes for excursions
Schedule emergency teachers
Schedule relief teachers
Organise room changes
Set eligibility criteria for replacement teachers
Allocate replacements for classes and yard duties
Organise supervision of an exam
Collapse classes and reallocate students when some students are absent
Create and print summaries and bulletins
Create and print updated teacher timetables and updated student lesson lists
Query staff and student timetables
Set up and configure the General Access Module for their school
Save files and populate the General Access module
Use general access to view and print timetables, student timetables, class lists, class lists with photos, student lists and daily timetable changes.

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

Course Materials

Participants will be provided with a lesson manual which describes and documents all processes used in this course. Sample data will be provided. Each participant will be allocated a computer, so there is no need to bring one.

Course Outline

How the Daily Organiser module interacts with the Timetable Development module
Create folders to hold daily organiser information
Under/over loaded and part time staff
Emergency and relief teachers
Teachers and class absences today or on a future date
Organise excursions
Assign teacher replacements to cater for absent staff both manually and using the program's tools
Assign students to excursions
Assign students not going on an excursion to other classes
Collapse a class
Exam supervision
Yard duty replacements
Summary bulletins
Updated lesson lists
Set up and configure the General Access Module for your school
Save files to General Access

Timetabling Training

Course Navigator

Timetabling Solutions Version 9

Primary Schools