In this post we will looking at the meaning of automated result processing, transcript generation, design and Implementation of a result processing and transcript generation.
INTRODUCTION.
The emergence of electronic-data (e-data) processing system is an answer to the dire need for tools and alternative ways to improve man’s well-being and activities as a whole. It has relieved workers of the stressful routine of collecting, organizing and managing data. Apart from teaching and researching which are the primary activities in higher institutions, there are other important activities such as managing of students’ data, tracking of students’ progress at each level, as well as other administrative and managerial activities. In the developed countries of the world, these activities are automated. This, however, is not the case in the developing countries as evident in Nigeria where most institutions still adopt the manual method of managing students’ data which is time consuming and demanding, and are often prone to a variety of errors and disasters. Hence, there is a need to properly address these shortcomings. The solution to these shortcomings lesion an efficient information management system which has transcript generation as one of its modules. A transcript is an official document showing the educational work of a student in a school or college. It is used when there is need for official academic actions to be taken such as inter-departmental, inter-faculty or inter-university transfers, proficiency awards and higher academic pursuit. It must display the students’ full name, academic program and the university’s name along with transcript legends/keys/grading scales printed on the reverse side that explain the course numbering system, credit types, grading systems, institutional scholastic indexes, abbreviations and symbols, special credit notations, and transfer credit as well as other relevant information. Transcript generation is done by the student’s department and forwarded to exams and records department for final processing and authentication.
WHAT IS AUTOMATED RESULT PROCESSING SYSTEM?
Automated Result Processing System (ARPS) is a set of software programs that is designed to control the institution’s storage, management, and retrieval of data (Result) in a database. Automated Result Processing System is categorized according to their data structures or types. It 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 an ARPS 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 in it provides the ability for many different users to share data and process resources.
THE ADVANTAGE OF AUTOMATED RESULT PROCESSING SYSTEM.
- It saves time during examination processing
- Database for course registration and examination result is maintained
- References are very fast and delays can be avoided.
- It allows easy access to stored information.
- Help in reducing the costs such as labor, inventory and stationery.
- To enhance speedy of the results.
- To eliminate error due to manual processing.
- To provide security measure to check student mischievous act of changing marks on the result.
- It will serve as a reference material to those who use this project material.
- It is a contribution to knowledge.
- 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.
- 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.
TRANSCRIPT GENERATION.
Transcript generation is done by the student’s department and forwarded to exams and records department for final processing and authentication. A transcript is a detailed record of your marks or grades that has been generated by your current or former university. Usually this will be a document, either on paper or online, with a list or table of the individual modules, papers or courses you have completed with a numerical and/or letter grade against each. To get an official copy of the transcript, one needs to contact the school’s registrar. In most cases, you don’t even have to call or go in person; the registrar’s office may have an online form for requesting your transcript. You can usually pay the transcript fee online too.
DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A RESULT PROCESSING AND TRANSCRIPT GENERATION.
Result processing can be seen as a continuous process of converting data (scores, grade points, credit units etc.) into a definite and meaningful information (statement of result, transcripts etc.). These results are used to check the performance of each student in various courses. These results when processed manually leads to many problems such as error during computation, insecurity of results, untidy results after changes must have been effected and work load on the exam officer(s) etc. However, designing and implementing, as well as the computerization of result processing and transcript generation system will reduce these problems to the barest minimum. Providing password can do this, which grants access to only authorized user(s). Corrections or changes are effected without making the work untidy. Also stress on exam officer(s) is or are reduced. The design and implementation will be developed using the structured system analysis and design methodology (SSADM). The new system was designed using Php and Mysql. This language was chosen because of its flexibility and features for developing online based applications.
CONCLUTION. The benefits of using the Automated Result Processing system cannot be over emphasized. This is because the system will increase the speed of processing results, increase accuracy in result computation, eliminate cases of misplacing files of students and reduce the pilling up of papers in the offices.