Of Interest to Teachers and Trainers

Scheduling Software: Course Registration 6.0 by Robotutor

One of the biggest hassles in teaching is the ever-present demand of scheduling. In a small library, it may be simple enough for a trainer to maintain a notebook with a list of dates and classes and people, but for a system with branches and multiple service points, teaching in a classroom or a lab requires attention to a myriad of details.

If you search the web, you'll find that most scheduling services cost a small fortune, especially if the service you're offering is free, with no offsetting revenue. Even if you charge, there are too many bells and whistles that you'll never use on most programs.  We started out with a web-based service for only $100 a year, and found that it was great for hotels and ballrooms, but too intricate for easy setup and use. It was only for booking rooms, and we only had one: a 12-seat lab.

In desperation, I dusted off my early skills in the long-since abandoned Microsoft QBasic® and put together a program that handled reservations and even waiting lists. It lasted for about 8 months, during which time, we all learned a lot more about what we needed. But since it was a DOS program, it would operate only on a single machine.

I was elated one day to find that Dr. Jerry Debenham, the developer of RoboTutor, an online testing and teaching tool, had been working on a course registration program that would be accessible via the web.  His clients were mainly schools, but I had used Robotutor, and his new program promised to solve many of our scheduling problems. 

Features:

1. Self-registration (if you wish to use it that way): That is, anyone with access to the web and a desire to learn can do so via a form that instantly updates their status.  The database system behind CReg is MS ACCESS®, although that need not be running on the server.  We have made CReg available to the public, and have had several signups, although most of the seniors I teach prefer to call or drop in to register.
   
2. Staff-mediated registration for those situations like making appointments for tax assistance, and other programs where a contact interview is desirable.
3. Statistics:  Several online reports are available with specifiable parameters to keep records of those attending, not attending and attending between specific date ranges.
4. Evaluation: Instructors can get instant feedback from those who have attended. Standardized questions as well as open comments are available.
5. Grades: Although we don't use this feature, it is conceivable that if you're offering certification of some form, you would use this for documentation. And you can even go to the RoboTutor site to produce attractive certificates at no charge if you wish.
6. Session and student maintenance:  Behind an administrative sign-on and password, there are features that allow creation, changing / deletion of courses, and dropping of student records.
7. Waiting lists:  If a class is overbooked, a waiting list is maintained in historical order (although displayed alphabetically).  If a student decides to drop a class (which registrants can do for themselves online), the next person in line will be moved into the class. Alternatively, you can create a new course and move all those waiting into it with a couple of clicks.
8. Charging:  This module will be enhanced if demand warrants, but for now, there is a field in the record that maintains information about the cost of a class, if you don't offer them for free, and this information is available on the summary screen online.
9. Notification:  Email can be sent (optionally) to the instructor each time there's an enrolment update, and/or to the student when their status changes (such as being moved from a waiting list).
10. Accessibility: It is available from any current web browser. It runs on Microsoft Internet Information Server, and takes perhaps 10 minutes to set up. It is written in HTML with Active Server Pages (ASP).
11. Ease of use:  There are graphic stoplights on the home page that link to course information and serve as a visual warning that a course is low on seats or is fully booked.