Improving Student Management Information System - Research Proposal Example

A Comprehensive Information Management System By [Presented to] of CHAPTER-3: METHODOLOGY 3 Introduction The chapter explains the importance of a robust methodology in achieving the proposed objectives of the study. Through the explanation of the methodology; the researcher demonstrates ways through which effective student information management system can be designed and implemented (Ayodele and Absalom, 2010). For this purpose, it is important to have an overview of the student information management system. 3.2: An Overview of Student Information Management System Student management information system deals with the set of information that can help students in achieving their academic needs through a systematic approach of integrating wide arrays of academic data and information. It is used to deal with wide arrays of data and information related to students. The idea is to implement this system in Kidbrooke School to enhance the efficiency of student management along with improving the quality of teaching in an effective manner. This system is easy and simple to use and helps in availing wide varieties of data and information in a hassle free manner (Bonig, 2012). The simplicity of this system can be enhanced by using computer database and database language in the form of SQL and Access. Furthermore, important design considerations and principles are in the form of visibility, system feedback, uniformity, simplicity of tasks, and easy to access and use. The basic importance of the proposed student management information system is based on the fact that, it helps in collecting wide arrays of students’ details in the form of personal details, lecture details, subject details, grades, and feedback. This system can be considered as quite beneficial and useful for students and teachers considering the fact that minute details can be garnered with ease and thus enhancing and strengthening the information framework. The next part of the discussion presents the objectives and questions related to the proposed system. 3.3: Project’s Objectives The project objectives have been designed keeping the project usefulness in mind. The objectives are as follow: To develop a database system that can easily store, retrieve, and update students’ data and information To implement a system that will eliminate and replace the manual system to a computerised system To strengthen the system in such a manner so that the time can be shortened for retrieving data and information when required 3.4: Project’s Questions The current system is based on manual settings and the newly proposed system is aimed to automate all the processes. In this regard, few questions need to be explored and investigated. The formulated questions are as follow: 1. What are the objectives and benefits of building student management information system? 2. What kinds of problems and issues the proposed system can address and handle in a critical manner? 3. What are the users’ requirements and what more can be added to make the system more useful and beneficial? 4. What sort of design and specifications will be ideal for making the system more useful and acceptable? In order to further address and investigate the project’s objectives and questions; it is important to have an understanding over the requirements specifications that will help in understanding the benefits and usefulness of the proposed system. 3.5: Requirements Specifications The specification of requirements has been illustrated in a critical manner. Under this system, students will be able to feed all their information that can be accessed by the management of the school. The proposed name of the system is Kidbrooke Student Information Management System (KSIMS) where students will be asked to register with their name, address, contact details, and academic details. Furthermore, each student will be required to have a unique KSIMS number that will help them in logging to the system. The users will also be asked to set unique password that should include numerical, lower case, and upper case alphabets to enhance the security. On the other hand, unregistered students will be asked to register with a unique and distinctive user ID that will allow them to access admission and academic related information. The basic purpose of these requirements is based on proposing a framework that will automate all sorts of information and details and thus eliminating or mitigating the manual entries saving time and energy in an effective manner (Idogho, et al, 2011). The proposed system will be administered by the IT department of Kidbrooke School and issues and problems pertaining to the flow and access of information will be handled by them. Furthermore, the effective accuracy and functioning of the system will be dependent on the accuracy of data and information shared by the students. Students will be asked to change their password frequently along with offering information on change of address and other relevant details. As the system will include the grades and feedback system, it is but obvious that the role of teachers and administrators will be of great importance. They have to work in an integrated manner with teachers in order to extract the benefits out of the system. The system will not include details of employees and other administrators and thus, the majority of the focus will be on enhancing the flow of information in students’ context along with adding value to the informational framework as a whole in the long run (Khan, et al, 2011). 3.6: A Test Plan A test plan is very important in terms of testing the feasibility and acceptance of the proposed project. In this regard, a systematic approach has been proposed to test the overall utility of the system in a critical manner. The above mentioned diagram clearly states the test plan that is required to test the objectivity, feasibility, utility, and acceptance of the system. Organising a project involves introducing a schedule and test approach. Designing and building of system involves identifying test cycles. Executing system tests include different test phases and cycles while the acceptance test involves an analysis of the users’ acceptance that helps in signing off from the project based on the achievement of the objectives. It is important to discuss few important tests that will help in assessing the usefulness of the proposed system (Piennar, 2003). 3.6.1: Functional Testing The major purpose of this test is to ensure that all elements of the application meet the functional requirements of the system. The required documentation and design documentation should be in place and validation testing in the form of intensive testing of the front-end fields screen design, web interface standards, valid and invalid data, limited and unlimited data, screen look and feel, and overall consistency of the system with rest of the applications will be conducted. This will help in assessing the overall utilities of each function. 3.6.2: Integration Testing Integrated testing will be conducted to make sure all areas of the system interface are integrated and there is no gap in the data flow. This will help in avoiding errors and loopholes. 3.6.3: User Acceptance Test This test is executed to assess and ensure that the system works in an expected manner and all the procedures and materials are appropriate and suitable for the intended purpose. This test also helps in ensuring that there are no potential gaps in the functionality. 3.6.4: Performance Test This test will ensure that the system is performing in a desired manner. It will also help in assessing the functionality and response of the system to make sure that there are no gaps and loopholes in the system. 3.6.5: Multi-user and Bash Testing The major purpose of this test will be to ensure that multiple users can access the system in a hassle free manner. Furthermore, a team of computer specialists will be invited to break the system in order to assess the security issues and concerns. 3.6.6: System Test Entry Criteria The importance of this test is to assess the system before it commences. All sorts of risks and loopholes will be analysed and addressed. Development code will be tested, human resources should be assigned the role to manage the system, hardware will be checked, and attempts will be made to achieve the pass rate of 90% which means 9 out of 10 users are successful in accessing the system. 3.6.7: Exit Criteria Test Before the final release of the system, it is important to fix the issues, bugs, and loopholes of the system. Medium or low priority risks should be addressed before commencing the system and project managers and testers must sign the users’ acceptance test, integration test, and bash testing. This will ensure the overall usefulness of the system in terms of using it in an efficient and risk free manner. Furthermore, two more tests will be conducted to analyse and evaluate the usefulness of the system in a critical manner. These tests will be system testing cycles and operations acceptance testing. 3.6.8: System Testing Cycles The main purpose of this testing is to test the front end in the first two releases and trying to fix 90% of errors. With the fixation of these tests, standard or frequently used actions will be tested in a clinical manner to assess the elements of total system processing. Furthermore, regression testing of outstanding errors will be conducted regular basis. After fixing all the errors, additional tests will be conducted to ensure that the system works in an integrated manner. The major purpose of this test will be to make sure functional, multi-users, bash testing; bug testing are performed and addressed in a critical manner so that the system can work in a hassle free manner in the long run (Patterson, 1997). 3.6.9: Automated Testing Automated testing is used for bash and multi-user testing along with regression testing. The major purpose of this testing will be to make sure that the system works in an automated manner. Automated testing is a long process considering the fact that the tests need to be executed at least 3-4 times. On the basis of the results of the regression and all other stated tests, the system can be automated. An automated system will help in collecting and retrieving data and information automatically. This will also help in enhancing the collection, retrieval, and flow of information in a systematic manner (Tudor and Tudor, 2007). Thus, on the basis of all these tests, the system can be commenced and benefits and advantages can be assessed. The next part of the discussion focuses on the set of designs that play an important and crucial role in the implementation and acceptance of the system. 3.7: Set of Designs The quality of the system is majorly dependent on its design that has to be attractive and simple. Designing of a system involves generating, developing, and analysing possible course of actions along with offering detailed information on specifications for the system components, structure, and related features. The design should show how the organisational, technical, and people elements of the system fits together. From a traditional point of view, system design is considered as a problem solving tool that not only requires the modeling but also full proof strategies for solving system related problems. In the context of the KSIMS for the system design, the first step will be to assess the generation and recording of data and information. For this purpose, functional requirements need to be identified. The functional requirements are often known as system level requirements that are supposed to be implemented and applied at a higher level compared to the individual record. Information will be collected on system, standards, procedures, and schedules. Furthermore, routing, updating, inputting, saving, and deleting records will also be analysed in a critical manner (Odongo, 2010). When the information will be unavailable, data will be collected manually and stored to make the system automated. The design for the proposed system will be kept simple and easy to understand. Different headings and sub-headings pertaining to students’ name, address, academic data, academic record, contact number, and feedback will be added. Students will be able to access data and information using login id and password while the administrators will be able to access data through the admin id that will be authorized to save, store, and delete data and information. Overall, the proposed system design will help in addressing the key issues of managing the system along with making it simple and realistic to extract system benefits and advantages in a desired manner. 3.8: A Prototype of the Proposed System In order to highlight the usefulness of the system, a prototype of the proposed system has been discussed and explained in a critical manner. The prototype is just to give an idea over the system and cannot be considered as a final design for the system. These benefits will be covered by the proposed system: Furthermore, elements of student information system, learning management system, file management system, and content management system will be added. The above diagram states that through the implementation of this system, teachers will first access the subhead “My Classroom” followed by selecting the course and then creating the assignment and posting it. Furthermore, students will be able to access their academic planner along with viewing assignments and their grades. This will also include a section highlighting the demographic information of students. This information can be seen and shared by both the teachers and students. Furthermore, there will be a subhead named “Feedback” where students and teachers can share feedback. This option will be useful and beneficial mainly for the students in terms of gaining feedback. Furthermore, the interactive nature of the proposed system will help both teachers and students and thus adding value to the academic framework in a well planned and desired manner. 3.9: Test Report- User Acceptance Testing It is important to conduct prototype testing as it helps in analysing the existing and potential loopholes along with being sure of eliminating those loopholes before implementing the final version of the system. The main software package considered here is Microsoft Access as it helps in quick retrieval of information and can be used for queries and solutions purpose in an efficient manner. Furthermore, it avoids data redundancy and duplication of entries that saves time and space. In this regard, it is important to conduct a test in user acceptance. The major benefit of conducting user acceptance test is based on the fact that, it helps in understanding and analysing the acceptance for the system. Test Case ID Date Tested Tester Pass/Fail Severity of Defect Summary of Defect Closed prior to Production Release? Comments or Through this user acceptance test that has been explained in the above diagram, it will be known what sorts of tests are conducted and whether those tests were successful or not in terms of meeting the project’s requirements. For example, at first, the user interface test will be conducted to understand the benefits and acceptance of the interface. The login id and password page will be used to log in and simplicity of doing this task without any issue will be assessed. If there will be any defect, they will be illustrated in terms of severity and proper actions will be taken to tackle those defects in a critical manner. Furthermore, efforts like ease of access, collection of data and information, storage and deletion of information, feedback sharing system, and posting of new details will also be evaluated to analyse the acceptance rate in a critical and unbiased manner. It needs to be mentioned that the user acceptance rate varies from individual to individual considering the difference in accepting the technology. In this regard, user acceptance rate is dependent on teachers and students (Robson, 2007). As students needs to be at ease while using this system in order to get benefitted by it, thus, the test report needs to be targeted on students. This will help in understanding the real and true acceptance rate through adequate testing of previously mentioned tests. User acceptance testing is just an overview of ascertaining loopholes and ways to eliminate them to seek relevant benefits. The proposed user acceptance testing will help in evaluating errors, identifying loopholes, eliminating bugs, and ascertaining the overall acceptance rate of the system (Simon, 2008). As mentioned before, an acceptance rate of around 90% is often considered as ideal for being accepted and thus, the focus should be on enhancing the acceptance rate by more than 90%. 3.10: Summary The chapter presented an overview of the methodology to be used in addressing the proposed system’s usefulness, relevance, planning, initiation, and implementing. Based on the discussion, it was found that before implementing the proposed Kidbrooke Student Information Management System (KSIMS); it is important to conduct wide arrays of tests in the form of functional, integration, user acceptance, multi-user and bash, system tests, and automated tests to identify key loopholes. Furthermore, a prototype of the proposed design of the system was highlighted along with illustrating the key utility and importance of each component. Based on the prototype of the design and user acceptance design, it was concluded that for a successful system design, it is important to conduct various tests and evaluate the significance of the prototype before implementing the final version of the system. This will help in adding value to the system along with enhancing its appeal and acceptance among the targeted users and making the system successful. References Ayodele O.A. and Absalom E.E. (2010). Design and Implementation of Students’ Information System for Tertiary Institutions using Neural Networks: An Open Source Approach, International Journal of Green Computing, Vol. 1, No. 1, pp. 1-15. Bonig R. (2012). Latest Trends in Student Information Systems: Driven by Competition, Educause. Review, Vol. 47, No. 3, pp. 56-57 Idogho O.P., Akpado K., and Agajo J. (2011). Interactive Intranet Portal for Effective Management in Tertiary Institution, International Journal of Advanced Computer Science and Applications, Vol. 2, No. 6, pp. 122-129. Khan A. I., Quarashi R. J., and Khan U. A. (2011). A Comprehensive Study of Commonly Practiced Heavy and Light Weight Software Methodologies, International Journal of Computer Science Issues, Vol. 8, Issue 4, No. 2, pp. Odongo, D. N. (2010). Causes of Missing Results in Examinations. UNEB Newsletter, 2(3): 12-13. Pienaar H. (2003). Design and Development of an Academic Portal, Libri, Vol. 53, pp. 118 – 129. Patterson, L. M. (1997). Training in Automated Systems. In Student Records Management. London: Greenwood Press, 175-186. Robson, W. (2007). Strategic Management and Information Systems. 2nd edition. London: Prentice Hall. Simon, T. (2008). Implementation of Management Information Systems (MIS): Pitfalls and Lessons. Association of Commonwealth Universities Bulletin of Current Documentation, (132): 20-27, 132 Tudor, D. J. & Tudor, J. J. (2007). Systems Analysis and Design: A Comparison of Structured Methods. London: Macmillan Distribution Ltd. Read More