DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A COMPUTER BASED RESULT MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM

1.0 Introduction

1.1 Background Of The Study

Caritas University, Amorji Nike, Enugu, is a private University approved by the Federal Government of Nigeria on December 16 2004. It was officially opened on January 21, 2005 by the Federal Ministry for Education, Prof. Fabian Osuji. The formal opening was on January 31, 2005. The pioneer students of 250 matriculated on May 28, 2005 in beautiful ceremony that attracted dignitaries both church and state. It is the second Catholic University in Nigeria founded by Rev. Fr. Prof. Emmanuel Paul Mathew Edeh Cssp, OFR. Although he founded the school, the proprietor of the University is the Congregation of Sisters the Saviour, a religious Congregation of Nuns founded by him.

The vision of Caritas University is to rescue some of our wandering and teaming youths from further slide into academic and moral decay, and development and transformation of our society through sound and adulterated education. Its mission is to discover, sanctify and apply the knowledge of science, environmental and engineering for human well-being and sound development of man for better society.

Caritas University’s goal is to give efficacy to the University’s motto and to its philosophy of education. We embrace not only sound education for professional skills and competency in various fields; but also maintain strict discipline. We train the mind, body, soul and spirit in the exercise of obedience and self control. The students must not only be intellectually and professionally prepared for different tasks and roles in the world, they must also be morally equipped to face the world itself with all its tensions, conflicts, challenges and contradictions. We achieve this with the help of God Almighty who is with us always.

The philosophy is to promote sound education for professional skills and competencies in various fields with strict discipline. By discipline the University meant the training of the mind, body and soul and spirit to obedience and self control. Also to prepare the students to be intellectually and professionally sound for different tasks and roles in the word with its tensions, conflicts, challenges and contradictions.

The University operates faculty system. Presently, the University operates six faculties: Education and Arts, Engineering, Environmental Sciences, Management, Social Sciences and Natural Sciences.

1.2 Definition

A Computer-Based Result Management Information System (CBRMIS) is a set of software programs that is designed to control the institution’s (practically using CARITAS UNIVERSITY), storage, management, and retrieval of data (RESULT) in a database. CBRMISs are categorized according to their data structures or types. The CBRMIS accepts requests for data from an application program and instructs the operating system to transfer the appropriate data. The queries and responses must be submitted and received according to a format that conforms to one or more applicable protocols. When a CBRMIS is used, information systems can be changed much more easily as the organization’s information requirements change. Use of manual imputation of result is discarded and new categories of data can be added to the database so easily without disruption to the existing system.

A database management system provides the ability for many different users to share data and process resources. But as there can be many different users, there are many different database needs. The question now is: How can a single, unified database meet the differing requirement of so many users?

As this study entails using a different form of database management in connection with organizational result computation and assessment. This brings about the use of computer-based result management information system (CBRMIS).

Before the database management approach, the institution relied on the manual method of data processing and storage. Each file was specialized to be used with a specific application. Needless to say, file processing was bulky, costly and nonflexible when it came to supplying needed data accurately and promptly.

This study therefore, examines clearly the effect of the computer-based result management information system (CBRMIS) towards the development of CARITAS UNIVERSITY.

1.3 Objectives Of The Study

Since this study is specifically to use the physical view to make efficient use of storage and processing resources, therefore, the objective of this study includes the following;

1. To help in facilitating generation of ad hoc query.
2. To ensure reliability and transparency in the creation and computation of results
3. To present a platform for assessment of the performance of the students and workers in other to help develop enabling policy for academic quality and standard.
4. To prevent unauthorized access or mutilation of the results of the students thereby maintaining data integrity.
5. To help the users of the result database software (RDS) to manage the overall database environment by providing facilities for backup and recovery, security management, query optimization, concurrency control, and change management.

1.4 Significance Of The Study

The significance of this study is to examine closely the advantage of this result application to the benefit of Caritas University and the entire community.

1. It will serve as a reference material to those who use this project material.
2. It is a contribution to knowledge
3. It will provide information to other researchers/developers on how best and beneficial the use of a management information system can be in providing accurate information for an organization’s decision making.
4. It will ensure high level quality service development of the management which will ensure that students are not subjected to undue suffering in collection of their transcript or clearance prior to the deployment for youth service.

1.5 Scope Of The Study

The scope of this study is an integrated study on the use of a Computer-based Result Management Information System (CBRMIS) a case of Caritas University.

1.6 Limitations Of The Study

Realizing the financial and time constraints usually associated with students in project of this nature, there is no research carried out that does not experience some difficulties. This work is no exception; the following factors posed serious limitations to the research work.

Financial constraints:

A study like this nature is expected to be carried out on a broader base but because of lack of funds required, some function and programs could not be applied.

Time constraint:

In the course of the study, time posed a serious problem in carrying out the test. The duration given for the conduct of this study was short.

Non-availability of materials:

During the course of this research, there were non-availability of some critical documents and materials which were classified as confidential.

Non-availability of Exit:

Because of the nature of the school as a private university, Permission to go out was not always granted and this posed a serious problem towards the actualization of this goal.

1.7 Definition Of Terms/Variables

Management:

Management is a human action, including design, to facilitate the production of useful outcomes from a system.

Processing:

To deal with somebody or something according to an established Procedure.

System:

A set of computer components i.e. in assembly of Computer hardware, Software and peripherals functioning together.

Automation:

The replacement of human workers by technology; a system in which a workplace or processes has been converted to one that replaced or ministries human labour with electronic or mechanical equipment.

Information:

Data that has been worked upon and processed.

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.

Data structure:

Data structures (fields, records, files and objects) optimized to deal with very large amounts of data stored on a permanent data storage device (which implies relatively slow access compared to volatile main memory).

Data security:

Data security prevents unauthorized users from viewing or updating the database by the use of passwords.

Data consistency:

Data consistency ensures a consistent view of data to every user.

Password:

This is a secret code that a user must type into a computer to enable He/she access it or its applications. This is made up of numbers, letters, characters or contribution of any of the above categories.

PHP:

Hypertext Preprocessor (the name is a recursive acronym) This is a Programming language known as a server-side scripting language. It was used in the developing of this software.

Query language:

A database query language and report writer allows users 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.

SQL:

Structured Query Language, it is a code used to query or insert records in a Database.