1.1 Introduction
The advent of computer system and other information and communication technologies have been experiencing continuous technology changes. In fact, distance is no longer the barrier to communication. This advanced age as a result of development has been christened “the information age” and soonest the space age technology will be finally established. This change is so apparent in all aspect of man’s life. Many institutions like financial institution, academic institution, health and banks are computerized. The computer system and telecommunication network are the ruling element of the contemporary global institution, the same have influenced and reshaped academic activities since the advent of internet. If students and staff of academic institutions can look up to the internet, they will find their research problems taken care of just in a twinkle of an eye.
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
The world is changing into a global village and the quest for knowledge and information is increasing. The computing is fast dominating all the aspects of life and many academic institution activities. There is a need for an easy way for planning and scheduling the school examination time table. School examination time-table hosted on the internet will be the solution to the manual process of accessing an exam time-table which is so stressful and time consuming. However, the major area that has dominated the internet is the World Wide Web (WWW) which is the global interconnection of internet resources in a multimedia format.
The need for automated information system for educational development cannot be over emphasized. The assertion by many professionals that information is power is continuously gaining affirmation as the countries of the world continue to witness dynamic trends in information technology. The manual system of accessing and scheduling of examination time-table in higher institutions is always very tedious. The scheduling is done by the school’s exams and record department. The number of exams hall in the school and their various capacities must be put into consideration, if not there will be a clash of exam venues. For each of the sections, levels and departments, there will be a time slot for each of the examination day. Manually scheduling of this time is confusing and takes a long period of time to produce and excellent and perfect result that is free from clashes.
1.3 Statement of the Problem
School examination time table has been the only way of informing students of higher institution about their examination days and time. The following are some of the challenges encountered in the Manual Process of Exam Time Table Allocation;
- The current manually prepared exam time table is always error prone and takes a lot of time to reschedule.
- Manual system of planning and accessing this time table is stressful.
- Actual class sizes are not captured and as such there is error in Venue Allocation.
- Clashes in take place in cases of carryover students.
1.4 Aim and Objectives of Study
The aim of the study is to Design and Implement an Online Sms Examination Timetable Alert System. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows to design and develop a software that will:
- Reduce clashes in time and venues for exams.
- Capture the actual sizes of the class and allocate venues accordingly.
- Create room for carryover to write their exams without clashes.
- Create room easy amendment where there are errors.
- Automate SMS to student to remember then there exam date.
1.5 Significance of Study
This research work is greatly hoped to eliminate the manual way of scheduling examination time table in the faculty of science, national Open University. It will more also eliminate stress in planning of the time table. It will also avail the students to go for their worship at Sundays that is no more writing exams on Sundays. Students will now write exams comfortably with good venue and much time and more also eliminate examination clash.
This study will be of immense benefit to other researchers who intend to know more on this study and can also be used by non-researchers to build more on their research work. This study contributes to knowledge and could serve as a guide for other study.
1.6 Scope of Study
The study focuses on the Design and Implementation of an Online Sms Examination Timetable Alert System. This project work is meant to cover examination time table scheduling for faculty of science, national Open University Nigeria.
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
Laymen: A person who is not a member a particular profession.
Enduser: A person that users a software developed by another person
Allocate: To distribute resource for a particular purpose.
SIAS: School of Industrial and Applied Science.
PHP Language: A server side language used in web development.
PROLOG: A high level language programming language base on logical rather than mathematical relationships.
Constraint: Something that limits freedom of action.
Linear Programming: A method of finding maximum and minimum of a linear transformation using variables that is subject to constraints.
