Design and Implementation of Online Course Registration System (a Case Study of Computer Science Department Akanu Ibiam Federal Polytechnic Unwana)
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
In this present age, information is moving the world around. The dissemination of information has become a measure through which the 21th century grows, and the system in which information is being spread is continuously developing day by day. Obviously the dissemination of information both in the exterior and interior parts of the world cannot be possible without the help of a computer system.
Today, the world has become a global village since information can be spread from one part of the world to another through the net. The use of computer in the modern institutions create a better avenue for processing and accessing information from any part of the world, processing of data at a faster rate, accuracy in recording and less stress to the management thus saving the department from pilling up of files on shelves in the department.
The proposed system for the department will include the following:
- Course Registration
- Department Registration
- NACOSS Registration for new student in the department
- Online Student result and
- Other important information (News and Announcements)
However, candidates are to purchase scratch cards during their registration, which will be changed to username and passwords of their choice to enable them access the web page as a student.
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- BACKGROUNG OF THE STUDY
The Computer Science Department was under the defunction system science.
The department was headed by:-
Mr. P. C. Eleoba from 1990 to 1994
Mr. N. Ngwoke from 1994 to 1996
Mr. J. O. E. Onyia from 1996 to 1997
However, systems science seized to exist as two departments were created from it i.e Computer Science and Maths/ Statistics. Mr. C. J. C. Ayatalumo in 1997 became the first head of department till 2006. Then DR. Ezeano Nnaemka A. headed the department 2006 to 2008. Mr. E. U. Ezeorah took over headship from 2008 to 2009. Dr. Ezeano A. N. took over from 2009 to 2014. Mr. U. C. Ugboaja took over from 2014 to 2015. Dr Ezeano A. N. is currently the Head of Department.
Since the division of the department from system science, the department has graduated many student both in ND and HND, Today, the department has several dreams such as:
- To network all the AIFPU computer and to have department portal.
- To make the hardware maintenance lab fully functional.
- To undertake repair, maintenance, installation, assembling of computer within and outside the institution in order to generate revenue for the polytechnic and the personnel through whom the job comes.
- To start off new Engineering Computer Technology Department.
- To become centre of excellence in computer science and engineering
- Above all to be upgraded to run PGD, B.Sc and M.Sc programmes in computer science and engineering.
To realize the aforementioned feats, the following suggestions will be found to be very helpful:
- To resuscitate staff development programmes in the department.
- To increase the computing equipment in use in both ND and HND labs.
- Provision of adequate staff offices and facilities.
- Provision of constant power supply.
- To admit new student into the department to run the National Diploma program, the candidate must have four credit in GCE O’ Level or Senior Secondary School Certificate (SSCE) at not more than two sittings, the subjects that must be credited are mathematics and any three of the following: Statistics, Economics or Commerce, Chemistry, additional Mathematics, Physics etc that is to say that the minimum entry requirement into a higher national diploma in computer science obtained from an accredited program with at least a lower credit.
- STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The candidate took the risk of travelling long distance to embark on registration without knowing much about the school, the department, courses offered, the requirements and other necessary information such as tuition fee, announcements etc.
Every session, Student population in the department computer science increase and as the school admit new students into the polytechnic, the problem of record keeping in the department also increase as more student are being admitted into the department. The current system in the department uses a manual method of storing, updating, validating, sorting, retrieving and processing of the entire student’s records. Based on these facts, the management of student’s is often facing a problem because of the size of the records. However, the problems faced by the current system are as follows:
- Reasonable time and resources are wasted
- Insecurity in record keeping
- Problems of file backup
- Problem in file searching, retrieval and entire access to data.
The use of manual method of record keeping actually poses a lot of stress and is prone to much error mostly in the area of result recording, therefore causing a lot of problem to student.
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- OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The importance of online academic record processing (OARP) is the application of an operational computer based information system serving the information need of administration of academics registration in an optimal and sustainable way. The driving force of this study is based on the offering of better service to the students. This online date processing in the department will streamline the collection, storage, retrieval and management of records to improve operations and management task. The end user will be empowered in the management of crucial data files. Data communication in this section and other section will facilitate coordination and harmony in achieving the objectives of the department.
However the department alone will be the main beneficiary of the successful implementation of a computerized academic record, MIS.
The new system will to an extent do the following for the department:
- Improve the capability of a centralized data transaction processing with respect to the current future growth of students academics program.
- In comparison with the current system, the new system will improve the functionality of the procedures in accordance with the request to improve planning, control and evaluation process related to student’s performance.
- Finally, the new system will provide the department with reliable database which will be managed, maintained and accessed by various units of the department.
- SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The head of the department of computer science is responsible for all the activities going on in the department in the area of course registration, registration of new students into the department, maintaining students’ academic record, approving of students results and scheduling of semester courses. However this project covers basically three areas whose primary purpose is to maintain student’s academic records.
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- LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
The research is narrowed to the area of online student’s academic record processing because of the following factors:
- Time constraints
- Financial Constraints
- Availability of research materials.
- IMPORTANCE OF THE STUDY
After the installation or implantation of the project, the following benefits are expected:
- Easier Record Management.
- Repeat Production of Management Reports.
- Repeat access to accuracy.
- Management of information for decision making.
- Ease in information dissemination
- Reinforce student’s satisfaction and confidence in the department.
- Minimize errors.
- Presentation of records in a uniform format etc.
- DEFINITION OF TERMS
RELATIONAL DATABASE: This is the type of database that stores information with records and fields in a tabular form.
SERVER: In computing, a server is a computer program or a device that provides functionality for other programs or devices called “CLIENTS”. Servers can provide various functionalities, often called “SERVICES”. Such as sharing data or resources among multiple clients, and a single client can use multiple servers. A client process may run on the same device or may connect over a network to a servers on different device. We have example like Typical Server are Database Servers, File Servers, Mail Servers, Print Servers, Web Servers, Game Servers and Application Servers.
URL: Stands for uniform resource locator, and is used to specify addresses on the world wide web. A URL is the fundamental network identification for any resource connected to the web (E.g Hypertext pages, images, and sound files), the term “Web Address” is a synonym for a URL that uses the HTTP or HTTPS protocol. (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) and (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure).
BROWSER: A browser is a software application for retrieving, presenting, and traversing information resources on the world wide web.
SQL: (Structured Query Language) is a standard interactive and programming language for getting information from and updating a data base. Although SQL is both an ANSI and an ISO standard, many database product support SQL with proprietary extensions to the standard language. Queries take the form of a command language that lets you select, insert, update, find out the location of data, and so forth. There is also a programming interface.
HTML: Hypertext markup Language, a standardized system for tagging text files to achieve font, colour, graphic and hyperlink effects on world wide web pages. The markup tells the web browser how to display a web page’s words and images for the users.
WWW: The world wide web is an information space where documents and other web resources are identified by URLS, interlinked by hypertext links, and can be accessed via the internet.
DATA: It is an information that has been translated into a form that is more convenient to move to process. Data is a collection of facts, such as number, words, measurements, observations or even just descriptions of things.
INFORMATION: An Information is a processed data, information is stimuli that has meaning in some context for its receiver. When information is entered into and stored in a computer, it is generally referred to as data. After processing (such as formatting and printing), output data can again be perceived as information.
MARQUEE: A marquee is a small section of the browser window that displays text that rolls across the screen, and is dynamic effect which causes an animated text to scroll, slide or alternate.
WATERMARK: A watermark is an identifying image or pattern in paper that appears as various shades of lightness/ darkness when viewed by transmitted light(or when viewed by reflected light, a top a dark background), caused by thickness or density variations in the paper.
HOTSPOT: A hotspot is wireless LAN (Local Area Network) node that provides internet connection and virtual private network (VPN) access from a given location. For example, a business traveler with a laptop equipped for Wi-Fi can look up a local Hotspot, contact it, and get connected through its network to reach the internet and their own company remotely with a secure connection.
TEXT HOTSPOT: This is a string of texts that is placed on graphics and a hyperlink is attached to it.
WEB: A web site is a related collection of world wide web (WWW) files that includes a beginning file called home page. A Company or an individual tells you how to get their web site by giving you the address of their home page. Form the home page on their site.
