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We also purchased the software. I think it has great possibilities but we ran into a lot of "bugs". One of the problems that we had was that we didn't discover the glitches until we began entering actual tutor name and schedules. This could not be done until the second week of school because we didn't have the info to enter until then. The software locked up frequently and we simply didn't have time to work out bugs and operate the tutoring labs! I did not find the software to be user-friendly. I am pretty familiar with a variety of software programs and I found it difficult to work with. How could I expect students who were unfamiliar with it to come in, find a tutor and make an appointment?! When I expressed my disappointment that it was not more user-friendly, I was informed that a lot of centers hire a proctor to operate the computer with Accutrack on it. I was not satisfied with that response. When we spent $2,000 on software I expected it to be bug-free. If we were beta testing a system, it would be different. We finally resorted to our tried and true paper system for this semester. I believe we are going to try a newer version for Spring semester. I am naive enough to hope this will work better :-) Sue Knight Coordinator of Tutorial Services Note my new office hours: Mon, Wed, Thurs 8:30-4:30 SDC207 [log in to unmask] Phone 607.587.4121 Fax 607.587.3210 Alfred State College Alfred, NY 14802 -----Original Message----- From: Schulz, Karyn [mailto:[log in to unmask]] Sent: Monday, December 04, 2000 1:37 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: accutrack et al. I have been reading the responses to the AccuTrak thread and the part that bothers me is that the vendor chose to use this media to discuss business with a client, not to professional. Also, the vendor basically "bashed" the customer during one discussion, which is uncalled for and does not serve the purpose of the listserv. Our Student Success Center purchased AccuTrak and are planning to implement it during Spring 2001, so I have a great interest in this thread. I hope that anyone on the listserv who uses AccuTrak can still provide insight into their experiences with the software. Karyn Schulz CCBC ESSEX -----Original Message----- From: Barbara Speidel-Haughey [mailto:[log in to unmask]] Sent: Monday, December 04, 2000 1:33 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: accutrack et al. Well stated, Jan. If we aren't honest with one another then the value of the listserv is nil. I am consistently impressed with the professionalism of the responses of the participants. Feedback on specific programs is just that--professional input. If vendors' feelings are hurt, so be it. Without such feedback, how else are they to improve their products to meet the needs of those of us for whom these materials are intended? Barbara J. Speidel, Director of Learning Assistance Services and Interim Administrator for the LRC Southwestern College * 900 Otay Lakes Road * Chula Vista, CA 919l0 E-mail: [log in to unmask] * Fax: 619.482.6540 > ---------- > From: Jan Norton > Reply To: Open Forum for Learning Assistance Professionals > Sent: 1, December 2000 6:21 PM > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: Re: accutrack et al. > > I like this listserv as a means of getting relevant information and the > gut-honest response of fellow professionals. Given the realities of > budgets, > specific expertise, timelines, etc., we need to be able to ask questions > about > products and services, and receive in return useful, honest experiences > and > suggestions from colleagues. We're mature enough to take everything with > sufficient grains (or tonnage) of salt. Nevertheless, should we be faced > with > sales pitches on the listserv, or defenses by promoters, or fears about > offending companies, or whatever? In the brief moments since I posted my > note > about seeking help from one's own campus computer services, I have > received > several private notes -- to me, not LRNASST -- about problems and > complaints > with Accutrack. Isn't that EXACTLY the kind of information we owe to > fellow > professionals?? Yet I think we're not sharing that information freely > when we > see that our posts are going to yeild responses we aren't wanting. > > Give me instead the honest and civil exchange that has been occurring > about > tutor training videos, sans the sales pitches. Hasn't LRNASST tried to > keep > the list free of promoting by vendors, authors, and others who clearly > benefit > from their own promotings? > > Jan Norton, Director > Center for Academic Support > Missouri Western State College > St. Joseph, MO 64507 > (816) 271-4536 >