Requesting space in central lecture theatres

Sue Somerset

Learning Facilities Manager

Outline

• Background information

• Impact for timetabling

• Process 2009/10

• Key information for entering activities

First of all, some background information…

Central Teaching Spaces on or near precinct

• The number indicates the capacity of the room

• Blue font indicates recent refurbishment

Ground floor access

Within one floor of ground

More than one floor from ground

How well are we using our teaching rooms?

50 - 99 sized spaces

65%72%

62%

49% 48% 51%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

2005/6 2006/7 2007/8

Planned

Audit

Frequency of usage of 200 plus capacity rooms

74% 72%78%

65%

52%

73%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

2005/6 2006/7 2007/8

Planned

Audit

What this means for timetabling…

What this means for timetabling

• Pressure on key teaching slots, especially 9am – 1pm Monday – Thursday

• Booked timeslots cannot be longer than 2 hours

• Timetabling must be entered according to University Teaching Blocks

Prioritization of allocations

• Larger classes get priority over smaller classes. • Units running more frequently in a given teaching block

will receive priority over those taught less frequently• Events taught 2 hours in duration will be kept in the

same lecture theatre.• Where possible, 1st year classes for a particular unit will

be accommodated in the same lecture theatre. This 1st year accommodation rule may be suspended for activities with un-discussed increases in size.

• Accessibility requirements may override all of the above.• Activities with un-discussed increases in size may have

to be flexible on timeslots.

Process in 2008/9 (last year)

Pack circulated in early April contained• Timetabling schedule for central spaces• Notice of any changes agreed by Teaching & Learning

Space Steering Group for 2007/8 timetabling• Teaching week schedule• Booking preference aide headed, ‘Teaching Zones’• New requirements booking form for activities sized 50 plus• New requests booking sheet for activities 49 attendees or

under• Copy of your bookings from 2008/9• List of central teaching spaces on or near precinct

Process in 2008/9 (last year)

• Departmental returns• Return made on paper, either by amending last year’s return

or by completing new activity sheet, before being uploaded by LFM into Syllabus Plus.

• Began in the 2nd week in May with large units (150 plus), 2 hour activities, and those with identified accessibility requirements

2009/10 timetabling

The method may have changed, but the process remains the same

• Dates for return will be roughly the same as last year

• Prioritization will be the same as last year• Contacts in Learning Facilities Management

remain the same• Departmental returns, and circulation of draft

timetables will be on Syllabus Plus

Timetabler’s pack from Learning Facilities Management will contain

• Introductory letter which summarises process and any key changes

• Copy of previous year’s allocations• Key dates for submission of material• Pro-forma for registering activity increases and

new units• Information on any planned teaching space

refurbishments

Departmental returns 09/10

• Timetabling data submitted on Syllabus Plus• Some activities will also require paper notification

– New units– Activities increasing by more than 15 students on last

year– Activities with associated accessibility requirements

Over-subscribed slots

1. There will be oversubscribed timeslots in 09/10

2. All departments affected by over-subscription are asked to review their timetable requirements

3. In the case of stalemates, Learning Facilities Management mediates a response with the affected departments.

4. Timetable is not locked until oversubscription issues with ongoing teaching are resolved.

Entering teaching activities

Requests for space managed by Learning Facilities Management need to:

– Not cross Teaching Blocks– Be no more than 2 hours in duration – Be set on real planned size– Include clear contact information for the

decision maker about the event – Be linked to the module

Entering teaching activities - tags

• Teaching activities should be tagged either ‘Ongoing’ or ‘Infrequent’

• Activities should be tagged by space grouping (99 or lower, 100 – 149, 150 and up)

• Events with accessibility requirements should be tagged as such

Entering teaching activities – location suitabilities

• 150 sized activities should have a location suitability set as ‘Anywhere on precinct’

• Smaller activities should be set to the preferred University zone (such as Cantocks, Tyndall, Woodland, Wills)

• Activities with specific locations for accessibility reasons should be set the agreed custom suitability

Standard Facilities

Standard equipment includes:

• data projector

• PC

• standard software

• Visualiser

• boards

• DVD / VCR

Facilities' Options

Options can include:• Slide projection• Dual data projection• Blackboard • Whiteboard• Flatbed• Moveable seating

• Sympodium• Camtasia recording (if

funding continued by ILRT)

• Demonstration theatre

Questions?