Towards improving the utilization of university teaching space.
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| Title: | Towards improving the utilization of university teaching space. |
|---|---|
| Authors: | Beyrouthy, C.1, Burke, E. K.1, Landa-Silva, D.1, McCollum, B.2,3, McMullan, P.2,3, Parkes, A. J.1 ajp@cs.nott.ac.uk |
| Source: | Journal of the Operational Research Society. Jan2009, Vol. 60 Issue 1, p130-143. 14p. |
| Subjects: | Classroom utilization, Universities & colleges, Time perspective, School administration, School employees |
| Abstract: | There is a perception that teaching space in universities is a rather scarce resource. However, some studies have revealed that in many institutions it is actually chronically under-used. Often, rooms are occupied only half the time, and even when in use they are often only half full. This is usually measured by the 'utilization' which is defined as the percentage of available 'seat-hours' that are employed. Within real institutions, studies have shown that this utilization can often take values as low as 20-40%. One consequence of such a low level of utilization is that space managers are under pressure to make more efficient use of the available teaching space. However, better management is hampered because there does not appear to be a good understanding within space management (near-term planning) of why this happens. This is accompanied, within space planning (long-term planning) by a lack of experise on how best to accommodate the expected low utilizations. This motivates our two main goals: (i) To understand the factors that drive down utilizations, (ii) To set up methods to provide better space planning. Here, we provide quantitative evidence that constraints arising from timetabling and location requirements easily have the potential to explain the low utilizations seen in reality. Furthermore, on considering the decision question 'Can this given set of courses all be allocated in the available teaching space?' we find that the answer depends on the associated utilization in a way that exhibits threshold behaviour: There is a sharp division between regions in which the answer is 'almost always yes' and those of 'almost always no'. Through analysis and understanding of the space of potential solutions, our work suggests that better use of space within universities will come about through an understanding of the effects of timetabling constraints and when it is statistically likely that it will be possible for a set of courses to be allocated to a particular space. The results presented here provide a firm foundation for university managers to take decisions on how space should be managed and planned for more effectively. Our multi-criteria approach and new methodology together provide new insight into the interaction between the course timetabling problem and the crucial issue of space planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Journal of the Operational Research Society is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Engineering Source |
| FullText | Text: Availability: 0 |
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| Header | DbId: egs DbLabel: Engineering Source An: 67117523 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Towards improving the utilization of university teaching space. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Beyrouthy%2C+C%2E%22">Beyrouthy, C.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Burke%2C+E%2E+K%2E%22">Burke, E. K.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Landa-Silva%2C+D%2E%22">Landa-Silva, D.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22McCollum%2C+B%2E%22">McCollum, B.</searchLink><relatesTo>2,3</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22McMullan%2C+P%2E%22">McMullan, P.</searchLink><relatesTo>2,3</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Parkes%2C+A%2E+J%2E%22">Parkes, A. J.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo><i> ajp@cs.nott.ac.uk</i> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+of+the+Operational+Research+Society%22">Journal of the Operational Research Society</searchLink>. Jan2009, Vol. 60 Issue 1, p130-143. 14p. – Name: Subject Label: Subjects Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Classroom+utilization%22">Classroom utilization</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Universities+%26+colleges%22">Universities & colleges</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Time+perspective%22">Time perspective</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22School+administration%22">School administration</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22School+employees%22">School employees</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: There is a perception that teaching space in universities is a rather scarce resource. However, some studies have revealed that in many institutions it is actually chronically under-used. Often, rooms are occupied only half the time, and even when in use they are often only half full. This is usually measured by the 'utilization' which is defined as the percentage of available 'seat-hours' that are employed. Within real institutions, studies have shown that this utilization can often take values as low as 20-40%. One consequence of such a low level of utilization is that space managers are under pressure to make more efficient use of the available teaching space. However, better management is hampered because there does not appear to be a good understanding within space management (near-term planning) of why this happens. This is accompanied, within space planning (long-term planning) by a lack of experise on how best to accommodate the expected low utilizations. This motivates our two main goals: (i) To understand the factors that drive down utilizations, (ii) To set up methods to provide better space planning. Here, we provide quantitative evidence that constraints arising from timetabling and location requirements easily have the potential to explain the low utilizations seen in reality. Furthermore, on considering the decision question 'Can this given set of courses all be allocated in the available teaching space?' we find that the answer depends on the associated utilization in a way that exhibits threshold behaviour: There is a sharp division between regions in which the answer is 'almost always yes' and those of 'almost always no'. Through analysis and understanding of the space of potential solutions, our work suggests that better use of space within universities will come about through an understanding of the effects of timetabling constraints and when it is statistically likely that it will be possible for a set of courses to be allocated to a particular space. The results presented here provide a firm foundation for university managers to take decisions on how space should be managed and planned for more effectively. Our multi-criteria approach and new methodology together provide new insight into the interaction between the course timetabling problem and the crucial issue of space planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of the Operational Research Society is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
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| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1057/palgrave.jors.2602523 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 14 StartPage: 130 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Classroom utilization Type: general – SubjectFull: Universities & colleges Type: general – SubjectFull: Time perspective Type: general – SubjectFull: School administration Type: general – SubjectFull: School employees Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Towards improving the utilization of university teaching space. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Beyrouthy, C. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Burke, E. K. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Landa-Silva, D. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: McCollum, B. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: McMullan, P. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Parkes, A. J. IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 01 Text: Jan2009 Type: published Y: 2009 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 01605682 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 60 – Type: issue Value: 1 Titles: – TitleFull: Journal of the Operational Research Society Type: main |
| ResultId | 1 |
