Design And Implementation Of An Online Course Registration System

1.0 Introduction

This chapter consists of the introduction, background of the study, statement of the problem, objective of the study, significance of the study, organization of research, scope of the study and definition of terms as used in the research work.

1.1 Theoretical Background

One of the largest investments in many organizations is the creation, maintenance, and retrieval of information. It has been estimated that in an organization such as a tertiary educational community, information is highly essential for correct students’ record especially course record and examination data. Studentcourse information, if not properly created and stored, will cause manyerrors in usage Okonigene, et al (2008). Nearly every section of the educational system requires information processing. With the use of computers for information processing, the following are possible: instant access to students’ personal and course information, instant student information updating, automatic computation of the Grade Point Average (GPA), generation of the graduating students list, monitoring of failed courses, keeping an up-to-date record of the entire student body in the institution, storing course information such as course code, course description, course unit, and scores for the purpose of GPA computation, and producing user-friendly data entry screens for ease of use. It is unfortunate that all educational institutions in the developing world, such as the Universities, Colleges of Education and polytechnics in Nigeria, still operate under the manual method of course registration, course record keeping and computation of result. Foundation polytechnic, Ikot Idem, for example, still operates on this manual method which is highly prone to errors.

With the advent of Information Technology in the last decade, the major focus has shifted from manual systems to computerized systems. Various systems viz railway reservation, hospital management etc involving manual work have been automated efficiently. Student course registration process in colleges involves filling registration forms manually, getting it signed by the Head of department. As is evident, this process is very laborious and time consuming.
Therefore, because of this problems and errors arising from such a system, an online course registration system and result confirmation becomes inevitable; the benefits accruable from the web-based system cannot be over emphasized.

1.2 Statement of Problems

Many universities, polytechnics and colleges have their own system to manage student’s studies and results. Common practice is by recording the student course and grade information in a record book.

Course registrationform is obtained on presentation of evidence of school fees payment by the student before issuing the course form by registrar to the student. This process of verifying fee payment takes minutes and causes overcrowding and long queues in the registrar’s office. After completion of the course form, the student takes the form back to secretary to registration for submission to be sign by head of department. This practice has some weaknesses such as longer time to search the student course information, the possibility of misplacement of record book and vulnerability of student course record to be accessed by unauthorized person.

The problem is addressed by developing a system that enables students register course and check their semester online.

1.3 Aim and Objectives

The current research aims at reducing the workload all the entities involved in the registration of course for the students. The current manual system faces different challenges as to maintaining course information of each student manually. Hard copy registers are maintained currently to verify student course details.

The objectives of this proposed web application system are:

To provide computerized means of registering student courses

To develop a system that will admin to input student results.

Automate the course registration process without any physical human interaction

Making the course registration and result confirmation process accessible anywhere to the student.

Provide a reliable solution to result processing that is corruption free.

Ensure that normal credit load in line with the school is maintained.

Provide a system that will generate result that is accurate, timely and error free.

To present a platform for assessment of the performance of the students and workers in other to help develop enabling policy for academic quality and standard.

To prevent unauthorized access or mutilation of the results of the students thereby maintaining data integrity.

1.4 Significance of the Study

The project work will help in a good number of ways to ease the delay in manual registration of courses and checking of student result. The online system developed will help schools management to achieve efficient information management system.

There are many other advantages, and some of them are listed below.

It saves time during result processing and course registration

Database for course registration and examination result is maintained.

References are very fast and delays can be avoided.

It allows easy access to stored information.

Help in reducing the costs such as labor, inventory and stationary.

Generation of accurate results/information on transactions is sure

It will serve as a reference material to those who use this project material.

It will provide information to other researchers/developers on how best and beneficial the use of a management information system can be in providing accurate information for an organization’s decision making

It will ensure high level quality service development of the management which will ensure that students are not subjected to undue suffering in collection, registration and submission of course form.

1.5 Scope of the Study

The study was carried out in Foundation polytechnic, Ikot Idem and was intended to offer an easy channel for course registration and checking of result by students, through the development of a secure online course registration system and result confirmation. The online system is designed for software Engineering Department only.

1.6 Organization of Research

This project was covered under five stages:

Chapter 1: Deals with the introduction. The background of the project is discussed. The objectives of the project, statement of problem, its significance, scope, and constraints are pointed out.

Chapter 2: This chapter reviews the related literature on the research work.

Chapter 3: Discusses system Investigation and Analysis. It deals with detailed investigation and analysis of the existing system and problem identification.

Chapter 4: This chapter describes how the new system was designed, how it works and what it needs or requires. This also shows the implementation of the new system with the written program, flowcharts and pseudo codes

Chapter 5: This chapter summarizes, concludes and recommends the research.

1.7 Limitations of the Study

Some of the constraints encountered during this project design include the following:

Financial Constraints:

The design was achieved but not without some financial involvements. One had to pay for the computer time. Also the typing and planning of the work has its own financial involvements.

High programming Technique:

The programming aspect of this project posed a lot of problematic bugs that took me some days to solve. Problems such as database connections using visual basic.NET and access database posed a lot of challenges.

Few Literature Sources:

The topic though seems to be a common term; it is not a popular topic to surf from the Internet. It had fewer literature sources.

1.8 Definition of Terms / Variables

Design:

In this context, it has to do with the coding of the program (software).

Records:

Data, details, documents, file, information, or reports. In the structure of a database, the part consisting of several uniquely named components called data fields. Several data records make up a data file, and several data files make up a database.

Management:

Management is a human action, including design, to facilitate the production of useful outcomes from a system.

Processing:

To deal with somebody or something according to an established Procedure.

System:

A set of computer components i.e. in assembly of Computer hardware, Software and peripherals functioning together.

Automation:

The replacement of human workers by technology; a system inwhich a workplace or processes has been converted to one that replaced or ministries human labour with electronic or mechanical equipment.

Information:

Data that has been worked upon and processed. A systematically arranged collection of data, designed sothat it can be automatically retrieved or manipulatedeasily by authorized users.

Database Servers:

Database servers are computers that hold the actual databases and run only the DBMS and related software.

Data Structure:

Data structures (fields, records, files and objects)optimized to deal with very large amounts of data stored on a permanent data storage device (which implies relatively slow access compared to volatile main memory).

Data Security:

Data security prevents unauthorized users from viewing or updating the database by the use of passwords.

Information System:

It is a collection of procedures, people, Instructions and equipment to produce information in a useful form.

Technology:

It is study of techniques or process of mobilizing Resource (such as information) for accomplishing objectives that benefits man and his environment.

Query Language:

A database query language and report writer allows users to interactively interrogate the database, analyze its data and update it according to the user’s privileges on data. It also controls the security of the database.

Software:

Software is a collection of written programs which directs thecomputer on what to do.

Query:

Querying is the process of requesting attribute information fromvarious perspectives and combinations of factors.

Modules:

This is an independent/self- contained program.

SQL:

Structured Query Language, it is a code used to query or insert records in aDatabase.