Decision support system on course allocation

DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEM ON COURSE ALLOCATION

(A CASE STUDY OF FEDERAL POLYTECHNIC BAUCHI)

 

BY

 

 

HABIB SALEH

FPTB/CS/HND/15/112953

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DEPARTMENT OF THE COMPUTER SCIENCE, SCHOOL OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, FEDERAL POLYTECHNIC, BAUCHI

 

 

 

FEBUARY, 2018

 

DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEM ON COURSE ALLOCATION

(A CASE STUDY OF FEDERAL POLYTECHNIC BAUCHI)

 

 

 

BY

 

 

HABIB SALEH

FPTB/CS/HND/15/112953

 

 

THE COMPUTER SCIENCE DEPARTMENT, SCHOOL OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, FEDERAL POLYTECHNIC, BAUCHI, IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE AWARD OF THE HIGHER NATIONAL DIPLOMA IN COMPUTER SCIENCE

 

DEPARTMENT OF THE COMPUTER SCIENCE, SCHOOL OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, FEDERAL POLYTECHNIC, BAUCHI

 

 

FEBUARY, 2018

APPROVAL PAGE

This project has been read and approved by the under signed on behalf of the Department of Computer Science, School of Science and Technology, Federal Polytechnic Bauchi as having met the requirement for the award of  Higher National Diploma in Computer Science.

 

 Muhammad Abubakar.

-----------------------------                        -------------------------                 ------------------------

Project supervisor                                            Signature                                 Date

 

 

Aliyu Muhammad

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Project Coordinator                                     Signature                                    Date

 

 

Sani Usman

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Head of Department                                    Signature                                    Date

 

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External Examiner                                      Signature                                        Date

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DECLARATION

This is to certify that this project work (Decision support system on course allocation) was carried out in the Computer Science Department, Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi under the supervision of Mallam Muhammad Abubakar.

This report is an original work carried out by me and has not been presented elsewhere for any degree. The works of other investigators are referenced to in this presentation.

 

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Habib Saleh                                                                             Date               

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DEDICATION

 

This project is dedicated to Almighty God that made this research work a success and to our supervisor in the person of Mal. Muhammad Abubakar and also my beloved for their financial support toward  the successful completion of this research work. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

 

I wish to thank God Almighty for His mercy and protection on me from the time of birth through this academic journey.

My profound gratitude goes to my supervisor Mal. Abubakar Muhammad for the role he played throughout this project task, which helped to make the project a reality.

I will never forget my able head of department, Mal. Sani Usman, who would always give students the conducive environment to carry out their projects and academic activities successfully and to the staffs of the department for their impact and contribution, i pray that God reward you all.

Finally, I will not forget to show my sincere appreciation to my family and not forgetting my friends, Murtala Hassan, Mahmoud Haruna, Abdulmumini Buba esq, Abdullahi mubarak and colleagues who in one way or the other contributed to my academic pursuit and also for their immense support and contribution to the completion of this project. God bless you all.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ABSTRACT

Basically it can be discovered that there are heaps of files, available space in the office of head of department slowing down his or her work, making the place untidy and even frightening him or her from task to be accomplished. But it should not be in this era or period of paperless office which brought about the use of computer system. Decision support systems are computer based systems that aid decision making process. There are several types of decision support systems, some supporting simple decision making process, while others support complex decision processes. Decision support systems have their disposal bodies of knowledge that are capable of providing criteria and options that are optimal in decision making. Course allocation is a decision making process on departmental head in federal polytechnic Bauchi which  is done manually and needs decision support system to make it efficient. The criteria used includes ranking, area of specialization and interest, work load success and failure rate, long period of taking a course, work balance, and leave. This research intends to design and host an online decision support system that will aid departmental heads in performing course allocation. Departmental heads will be guided by the proposed decision support system to make efficient course allocation. At the end of this research work, a decision support system on course allocation for most departments in the polytechnic. This application is been designed and hosted on web server and can accessed online via www.fptbcourseallocation.info  using internet connection on any device.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENT

 

Title page - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - i

 

Approval page - - - - - - - -  - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ii

 

Declaration - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  - - - - - - - - - - - - - -iii

 

Dedication  - - - - - - - - - --- -  - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -iv

 

Acknowledgement - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -v

 

Abstract -- - -  - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - vi

 

Table of content -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -vii

 

 

CHAPTER ONE

 

Introduction

 

1.0       Background of the Study- - -  - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  1

 

1.1       Decision Support System (DSS)- -  - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1

 

1.1.1    Course Allocation System- - -  - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -2

 

1.1.2    Automatic Course Allocation System- - - - - - - - - - -  - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2

 

1.1.3    Common Error in Course Allocation Process- - - - - - - - - - - - -  - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - -3

 

1.1.4    Course Allocation in Federal Polytechnic Bauchi - - -  - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -3

 

1.2       Statement of the Problem- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - -  - - - - - - - - - - - -4

 

1.3       Aims and Objectives - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 5

                                       

1.4       Scope and Limitations - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - -  - - - - -- - - - -- -  - - - -- 6

 

1.5       Justification of the Study - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 6

 

1.6       Definition of Terms- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  - - - - - - -- - - - -7

 

1.7       Methodology - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  - - - - - - - - - - 7

 

 

CHAPTER TWO

 

LITERATURE REVIEW

 

2.0       Decisions support system- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  - - - -  --- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -8

 

2.1       Course Allocation System- - - - - - - - - - -  - - - -  - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 13

 

2.1.1    Manual Course Allocation System- -- -- - - -  - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - -  - 13

 

2.1.2    Automated Course Allocation- - -  - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - --16

 

2.2       Course Management System- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - 17

 

2.3       Web Technology - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  -  - -20

 

2.3.1    My SQL Database - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  - - - -  - -  - - 21

 

2.3.2   PHP- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  - - - - - - - - -24

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER THREE

 

3.0       Methodology - - - - -  - - - - - - - - - -- - - ----- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 26

 

3.1       Types of Models - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 26

                                                                                                                   

3.1.1    Criteria used in Course Allocation by Department - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -   - - - - -28

 

3.1.2    Academic Rank Criterion - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  -  - - - -  - 33

3.1.3    Leave Criterion - - - - -  - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 33

3.1.4    Area of Specialization /Interest Criterion - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  -- - - -34

 

3.1.5    Long Term Experience Criterion - - - - - - - -  - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 34

 

3.1.6    Workload Criterion - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - -  - 34

 

3.1.7    Load Balance Criterion - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -   - - - - - - - --  - - - - - - -35

 

3.1.8    Past Success /Failure Criterion - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -35

 

3.1.9    List of Courses in Department - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  - 35

 

3.2       System Design - - - -  - - - -  - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -36

 

3.3       System Analysis & Design - - - - -  - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -36

                          

3.3.1    Program  Flowchart - - - -   - - - - - - - - - -  - - - - - - - - -  - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - -  - - - -38

 

3.3.2    Use Case Diagram - - - - - - - - - - --  - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -39

 

3.3.3    Software Architecture - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  - -  - - - -40

 

3.3.4    Database Design - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - 40

 

3.4       Web Service - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  - - - - - - - - -  - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 43

 

3.5       Output Interface Design - - - - -  -- -  -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - -43           

3.5.1    Input Interface Design - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 43

3.5.2     Logical Layer Design - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - --  -- - - - - -- - 46                                                                                                                                   

CHAPTER FOUR

IMPLEMENTATION AND DOCUMENTATION

4.1       System Overview- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  - - - -- - - - - - - - - -  48

 

4.2       Hosting and Domain - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  - - - - - -  - - - - - - - - - 49

 

4.3       Database Structure - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  - - -  - - - - -  - - - - - - - -  -- - -  -50

 

4.4       Result - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - -  - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - -51

 

4.5       Testing  - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  - - - - -  - - -57

 

4.5.1    Sample Output - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - -  - - - - - - - -  -- - -58

 

4.6       Major Achievement - - - - - - -  - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- -- - - - - -  - - - - - - - - - - 59

 

4.7       Minimum system Requirement - - - -  - - - - - - - -  - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -59

 

4.8       Deployment - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  - - - - - - -  -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 59

 

4.9       Code Listing - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -60

 

4.9.1    Activity Diagram - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  - - - - -61

 

                                                                                                                         

CHAPTER FIVE

 

SUMMARY, RECOMMENDATION AND CONCLUSION

 

5.1       Summary - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  - - - - - - - - - - - - 62

 

5.2       Conclusion - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  - - - - -  --  - - 63

 

5.3       Recommendation - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  - 64

 

References - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 65

 

Appendix: Program source code - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  - - - - - - -66