1.1 Introduction
Grade evaluation is the systematic determination of merit, worth and significance of students grade. The computerized grade evaluation system will provide convenience to teachers through the easier and faster way of recording information. Population of students is ever increasing in all educational institution so great demand in teaching force is also becoming higher. The online Grade evaluation System is very essential and important for school’s operations and goals. The students are graded to measure their performance in their academic courses and knowledge. Teachers spend a lot of time to accurately compute the grades of the students using their calculators, and, in earlier times, teachers manually solve grades using the manual computations means which is always filled of errors. Student achievement is profoundly influenced by the evaluation practice used by teachers in the classroom. Research in education has consistently shown achievement monitoring and feedback to be extremely important factors in the teaching learning process.
As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Limitations of the Study and Definition of technical terms.
1.2 Background of Study
Evaluation is the systematic determination of merit, worth and significance of something or someone. Evaluation often is used to characterize and examine subjects of interest in a wide range of human enterprise including the Arts, business, Computer Science, criminal justice, foundation and non-profit organizations, government and other human services. Performance Evaluation is a necessity for organizations, institutions and even individuals due to the fact that it helps them to know how they are faring and to know if there is any need for improvement. This research work is going focus on performance evaluation of students.
In schools students are evaluated and their result is compared based on the Grading system adopted by a particular school. Some schools adopt the 4-point Grading system while others operate on the 5-point Grading system for evaluating student performance and computing their Grade Point Average (GPA). However, most schools use the conventional (manual) system for computing the GPA of students. There have been numerous problems associated with the conventional system of computation.
Computerized Grade Evaluation System is a web based application that provide platform for the colleague to conduct student’s evaluation online. Student will fill online feedback using a standard form. In this project security is also maintain that is the result of evaluation is only visible to authentic user. Student Evaluation System is an integral feature of effective & efficient learning & teaching. It can be one of the powerful ways to enhance & strengthen student learning. Computerized-assisted grading system will go a long way in guiding the grading process and compilation of final results among systems of any institution in Nigeria.
Evaluation of student achievement is a crucial and pervasive issue of concern in every classroom. Traditional evaluation activities were used to certify or promote students. Currently, evaluation is recognized, as a comprehensive process not just something that occurs only at the end of some learning episode, it is an integral part of the teaching learning process.Evaluation activities provide information for the identification of student’s performances, a basis for the assessment of teaching strategies and data for important decision regarding corrective or enrichment activities. If a classroom is to function effectively, a well planned system of evaluation is essential.
Many teachers feel that the time they take in recording and computing for the grades of their students is time that could be better spent elsewhere, like preparing lessons, researching or meeting with their students. With the advent of computer technology, more and more schools are taking advantage of a variety of grading systems available both off-line and online that can help save time on administrative tasks and give teachers more time to attend to other important functions. However, a greater majority, especially small schools, government schools, and schools in remote areas, still utilize the manual method of recording and computing for the grades of the students.
The challenges encountered that led to the execution of the research work is that, A lot of time is exhausted and wasted in the process of computing while ensuring accuracy, work involved in the calculation of GPA is tedious especially when handling a large class, and most students cannot calculate their GPA accurately.
It is against the background that the development of this software to enable Student Course Evaluation, so the software users should not give false information that is out of the software deeds. This research work is based on providing adequate information about students’ records. At the end of this project, the research work, the software will able school officials to evaluate students’ course in learning and teaching and concise students’ records from the database.
1.3 Statement of Problems
Investigation reveals the problems of the existing system which are:
- A lot of time is exhausted and wasted in the process of computing while ensuring accuracy.
- Inaccurate evaluation of manual computation of students’ Grade point average
- The work involved in the calculation of GPA is tedious especially when handling a large class and most students cannot calculate their GPA.
- Inadequate provision of more ways for lectures to put ways for lectures to put their lecture materials online.
- Ineffective method for evaluating students. This would involve optimization of the current method
1.4 Aims and Objectives of Study
The aim of the study is to design and implement a Computerized Grade Evaluation System. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows to develop an application software that will:
- Highly secured student results and maintain the integrity of data, which can be easily retrieved;
- Enhance easy retrieval and access to records’
- Accurately process and compute students’ result; and
- Provide accurate report for decision making by the school management.
1.5 Significance of Study
The significance of the computerized grade evaluation system for University of Ibadan will provide a marked improvement in the way teachers’ record and compute for the grades of students.
Faculty Teachers: Teachers’ would be able to record and compute for the grades of their students faster thereby lessening their work load and providing them with added time to attend to other functions. This in turn would improve their efficiency as teachers.
School Administrators: School Administrators no longer have to re-compute the grades of each student to check on their accuracy. Student Reports such as grading results sheets and class records can be submitted on time and seamlessly.
Students: Students can now look forward to better lessons since their teachers would have added time to prepare for them their lesson plans.
1.6 Scope of Study
The study focuses on the Design and Implementation of a Computerized Grade Evaluation System using Computer Science Department, University of Ibadan as a Case Study.
1.7 Limitations of the Study
During the course of this study, many things militated against its completion, some of which are:
- Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
- Research material: availability of research material is a major setback to the scope of the study.
- Frequent power failure: This made the researcher append more money on fuel to ensure sustainable power.
- Financial Constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet).
1.8 Definition of Terms
Online Classes: These are classes conducted via electronic media, especially via the Internet.
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