Design and Implementation of an Automated Student Registration System (a Case Study of the Polytechnic Ibadan)
Chapter One
AIM AND OBJECTIVES
The main aim of the project work is to design an Automated Student Registration System.
After examining the process of registration and sectioning, the following items were established as objectives of the system development:
- To provide a process which will assure good counseling of each student relative to the academic program which he is pursuing.
- To provide a system which will maximize the probability that a student can obtain the courses which he is requesting.
- To provide a system which will assure good utilization of teaching facilities and faculty.
- To provide a system which will promote good administration in terms of planning, record maintenance, and information reporting?
- To provide a system which will minimize the manual effort and time required of students and staff in completing the registration process.
- To provide a system which could handle large volumes of students within reasonable time limits?
The system which will be discussed in this report is a result of concerted efforts to achieve these objectives.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
Computerization is a social process for providing access to and support for computer equipment to be used in activities such as teaching, accounting, writing, designing, circuits, file processing etc. Computerization entails social choices about the levels of appropriate investment and control over equipment and expertise, as well as choices of equipment.
Dunlop and Kling (1991), by the early 1990s, computing and telecommunications accounted for half of the capital investments made by private firms. However, paper (1980) Feigenbaum and McCorduck (1983) and Yourdon (1986) stated that the most fervent advocates of computerization have argued that the actual pace of computerization in schools, factories and homes is too slow.
Taylor (1980), classified computer-based education include both computer-assisted instruction programs that interact with students in a dialogue and a broader array of educational computer applications such as simulations or instruction in computer programming. There is major national push for extended application of computer-based education at educational levels. For example, in the mid 1980s private several colleges and Universities required all their freshmen students to buy a specific kind of Micro-computers and others invested heavily in visions of “wired Campus”.
Kling (1983) avers that computer-based education has been promoted with two different underlying ideologies in all levels of education. Some educators argue that computer- based instructional approaches can help fulfill the traditional values of progressive education: the simulation of intellectual curiosity, initiative, and democratic experiences. For examples, (John, 1984) has argued that computerized universities are qualitatively different than traditional universities: College students with micro computers in their dorm rooms will be more stimulated to learn because they will have easy access to instructional materials and more interesting problems to solve.
Papert (1979), argues that in a new computer – based school cultivate, students will no longer simply be taught mathematics. These visions portray an enchanted social order transformed by advanced computing technologies. Other advocates are a bit less romantic, but not less enthusiastic.
For example Cole (1972), states because of the insatiable desire of students for more and more information at a higher level of complexity and more sophisticated level of utilization, more effective means of communication must be used Computers can provide a unique vehicle for this transmission”. Hence, it is important to note that computer- based education goes a long way in helping the students as well as the staff to effectively make use of the computerized course registration system. It also helps in convincing the stakeholders of the importance and need for adopting the computerized admission, registration and result processing system as it provides effective and accurate handling of student’s files.
Russell, M. (1987), dealt extensively on the need for the use of computers on such database system like computerized course registration system. In the words of Dimorji (2003), at the center of any information system is a database, which is any collection of related information grouped together as a simple item. The term can also apply to the ways in which information is catalog used, analyzed, stored and used manually.
Russell was also of the view that without a computer, effective handling of Candidates’ records cannot be achieved effectively. The Polytechnic, Ibadan has thousand of student’s records. No person would precisely remember the details of these records”. The computer is the most possible application to retain an unlimited number of records with the utmost current updating possibilities. This is true as can be seen as posited by Eloba (1992), Computer in school record keeping, Technical Education Today, Vol. 3 No 182. “That at a department with over a thousand candidates, with the use of computer, all qualified for admission only 100 candidates need to be chosen. With the ranking of the scores or grades of the candidates, the management is in position to choose best candidates with the best results with ease and on time” with the use of computer. Again, many computerized systems have become more than tools-they are environments that people sometimes find hard to change and so on.
Kling and Suzanne (1988), argue that we have much to learn about future uses and consequences of computerization by carefully examining past and present experiences. Knowing fully well how the school (The Polytechnic, Ibadan) program is being run (manually), studying the past and present experiences energize the idea of computerization of the board or the program.
Also, Kling, (1994) illustrates that systems being computerized offers exciting possibilities of manipulating large amount of information rapidly with little effort to enhance control, to create insights, to search for information, and to facilitate cooperative work between people.
CHAPTER THREE
SYSTEM INVESTIGATION AND ANALYSIS
System is a set of interdependent component (sub entities) that creates whole entity. Investigation is the process of collecting Information or fact for particular issues.
Analysis is the system investigation & analysis is the process of collecting information or fact that for a particular issues which determine the strength & weakness of an existing system. As a result of those (the investigation of the old system and the analysis if the proposed system).
This chapter aims to examine all facts he has gathered in the existing system.
Analyst must include idea in the new system development which have not been worked out & to ensure that all feasible alternatives, that is, thing that can be due in the new system are considered.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION OF THE CASE STUDY
The history of the polytechnic Ibadan dates back to 1969 when the international working party was set up by the western state government to advertise her on the establishment of a polytechnic. The working party recommended, among other things the establishment of a polytechnic in the western state whose general objective should be to produce technicians who will make an important contribution to the social economic development of the country and the western state in particular. The western state government, accept the recommendation and the polytechnic, Ibadan was established under the provisions of a principal Edict cited as the polytechnic, Ibadan Edict 1970 and under the subsequent provisions of;
CHAPTER FOUR
SYSTEM DESIGN
Outputs are normally considered first in system design. Without knowing what the system is supposed to produce, it will be difficult to know the right input data to get.
CHAPTER FIVE
SYSTEM DEVELOPMENTS AND IMPLEMENTATION
System development and implementation is the development, installation and tasting of system components, while system implementation is the delivery of that system into operation that is day-to-day production of the system.
PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITY
System development is the stage that follows the design and the specification of the new system.
The development of this new system has the following:
- Main menu
- Reports
- Forms for input data
- PROGRAMMING LANGUAGE USED
The programming language that is use to develop this new project is Microsoft Visual Basic 6.0.
CHAPTER SIX
SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION
At this stage it becomes necessary to give a detailed narrative on how to use the application, since we have the system design objectives for the newly adopted system. Though any staff can also use the new system as well as experts in computing field but much cannot be achieved without having documentation of the system so that the interested users can know what the whole application up to.
At this stage we can therefore define documentation as the “act conveying in acceptable manner”. Also the documentation must be up to standard by the use of suitable and effective media.
CHAPTER SEVEN
SUMMARY
Studying through the early chapter of this project work, could discover that the new method discussed (i.e automated method) is more advantageous than the manual method.
Moreover, if the computerized method is well implemented, it will overcome all problems encountered with existing manual method.
CONCLUSION
The following conclusions were made as a result of the experience with the automated registration system.
(1) The system was very effective in increasing the ability to
provide students with the desired courses. The pre-registration provides an excellent planning tool and numerous schedule changes were made to facilitate the overall scheduling process.
(2) A much better student counseling program resulted from the system. Each student had to sit down with his advisor and review his program and progress before securing approval to request specific courses.
(3) The overall student record and reporting system was improved greatly as a result of this system. Student academic classifications, courses of study, were placed in an accurate and manageable order due to various requirements of the system. The student credit hour report to the Coordinating Board was produced instantaneously after the twelfth class day as a result of the excellent computer records established from the automated registration system.
(4) The manual effort and time required to complete the registration process was greatly reduced for both faculty and staff.
(5) The student acceptance of the system was generally good. They were very pleased with the ease with which their registration could be completed.
RECOMMENDATION
The following recommendations are submitted for the case study and other schools which might be considering the implementation of an automated registration system.
(1) Secure top level administrative support for implementing the system. Since many changes will have to be made in existing procedures, it is vital that a strong administrative commitment to the system be obtained.
(2) Allow sufficient time for planning and implementing the Be sure that a strong systems capability exists and that the necessary computer facilities are available.
A computerized student record system is a vital aspect of a successful automated registration system. If such a system does not exist, it is recommended that it be developed as a first step in the automated process.
(5) A good system for publication of information relative to the system should be developed. All persons concerned(student, faculty, administration) should be advised of the system and educated to its procedures.
REFERENCES
- Abiodun E.O (1999): system analyst life cycle; First global Computers, Egbeda, Lagos.
- Gttfred B.S (1986): Theory and problems of programming with BASIC, schaum’s Outline series; Mc Graws-Hills Book Co, Singapore.
- Olatunji E.K. (1998): Introduction to basic programming; Igbadogbemi Publiser, Ilorin, Kwara State.
- Tapha A.A. (2005): Essential of management information system; 2nd edition, published by poward publisher, 9, Ebira street, behind former Uncle Joe Chemist Building, Mokola Ibadan.
