Design and Implementation of a Database Management System for Student Registration in Faculty of Science for National Open University of Nigeria
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
Database Management System for students registration deals with all kind of student details, academic related reports, college details, course details, curriculum, batch details and other resource related details too (Vecchioli, 1999). It tracks all the details of a student from the day one to the end of his course which can be used for all reporting purpose, tracking of attendance, progress in the course, completed semester’s years, coming semester year curriculum details, exam details, project or any other assignment details, final exam result etc. The design can facilitate the exploration of all the activities happening in the college, even to get to know which faculty is assigned to, which course, the current status of a student, attendance percentage of a student and upcoming requirements of a student. The database management system for student registration is an automated version of manual database management system for student registration. It can handle all details about a student (Wright, 1990). The details include college details, subject details, student personal details, academic details, exam details, etc. In case of manual system they need a lot of time, manpower etc. Here, almost all work is computerized. So the accuracy is maintained and maintaining backup is very easy. It can do within a few minutes. The system has two type of accessing modes, administrator and user. Database management system for student registration is managed by an administrator. It is the job of the administrator to insert update and monitor the whole process. When a user log in to the system. He/she would only view details of the student. He/she can’t perform any changes (Connors & Valesky, 2006).
The data generated by organizations are usually created in files for use by different departments/units within the organization. If the data contained in these files are not carefully delineated it is very likely that the same data will appear on several of these files. That is these files would contain redundant data e.g. the University registry file and college or department file would contain the name and address of a student. This would mean that a simple change of address has to be processed in two and probably three or four places, depending on the number of other files on which these data appears. As noted in (Vecchioli ,1999) organizing and managing student records into a cohesive and efficient system might seem like an impossible task.
The National Open University of Nigeria is a Federal Open and Distance Learning (ODL) institution, the first of its kind in the West African sub-region. It is Nigeria’s largest tertiary institution in terms of student numbers and is popularly referred to as ‘NOUN’. NOUN does not provide lectures to students in normal classrooms except some certain study center’s, primarily due to constraints known to the University alone and the challenges usually faced by a developing tertiary institution. The study Centre in Lagos for instance provides lectures to all its Law undergraduates and supplies necessary course materials to all students after the payment of tuition fees. All courses offered have been accredited by the National Universities Commission (NUC)
1.2 Statement of the Problem
The major problems associated with database management system for student registration include improper registration, late release of students’ results, inaccuracy due to manual and tedious calculation, retrieval difficulties /inefficiency. Hence, it is importance to identify whether the organization of administrative functions in the Faculty of Science, National Open University of Nigeria is best suited for computerization. However, this study is examining the design and development of a database management system for student registration in Faculty of Science, National Open University of Nigeria.
1.3 Motivation
This project is an interest in taking up a challenging work in this particular area of research to test one’s confidence.
1.4 Aims and Objectives of the Study
The Main aim of the study is to:
- To design and develop a database management system for student registration in Faculty of Science, National Open University of Nigeria.While the following are the objectives of this study:
- To examine the advantages of database management system for student registration.
- To identify the limitations in the development of database management system for student registration.
1.5 Purpose Of The Study
The purpose of this study is to design and develop a database management system for student registration in faculty of science of National Open University Of Nigeria
1.6 Research Questions
- What is the process of designing and developing a database management system for student registration in Faculty of Science, National Open University of Nigeria?
- What are the advantages of database management system for student registration?
- What are the limitations in the development of database management system for student registration?
1.7 Significance of the Study
The following are the significance of this study:
- To The Students: Through this system, the students will be able to use this database management system for registration, especially for registering their personal information, course registration and exam registration in the faculty of science.it will also provide easy access to information resources and materials for science students.
- To The Staff: Through this system, the staffs can provide necessary information and resource materials to the students and also be able to get the students information easily.
- To The School: The school could gain knowledge from the study on the benefit, advantages and disadvantages, impact of developing database management which they may apply to their school in the future, by improving on the database management in such a way that is being connected with inter-switch whereby students will be able to make any necessary payment through website like, application fee, school fees and so on directly as a science student without following too much protocols. That is, if the applicant is a science student, He/She will go to faculty of science portal directly.
1.8 Scope of the Study
This study will cover the process of designing and developing a database management system for student registration in Faculty of Science, National Open University of Nigeria.
1.9 Organization of the Work
This research work contains five distinct chapters with sections.
Chapter One: Background of the study, Statement of the problem, motivation, aims and objectives, significance of the study, organization of work and definition of terms.
Chapter Two: Literature Review.
Chapter Three: Research Methodology.
Chapter Four: Implementation and Evaluation.
Chapter Five: Discussion and Conclusion.
1.10 Definition of Terms
The following are some terms commonly used in this project.
- Data: Raw facts.
- Input: is the term denoting either an entrance which are inserted into a system. These are hardware that helps to send data in form of input to the computer.
- Process: This is the management of transformation of data into useful information.
- Design: The art or process of deciding how something will look or works etc.
- Documentation: material that provides official information or evidence or that serves as record; written specifications and information that describes the product.
- System: A set of computer components i.e. in assembly of computer hardware, software and peripherals functioning together.
- Database: A systematically arranged collection of data, designed so that it can be automatically retrieved or manipulated easily by authorized users.
- Database Servers: Database servers are computers that hold the actual databases and run only the DBMS and related software.
- Query language: A database query language and report writer allows user 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: A software is a collection of written programs which directs the computer on what to do.
- Querying: Querying is the process of requesting attribute information from various perspectives and combinations of factors.
- Modules: This is an independent/self-contained program.
