Online Application System - Its Weaknesses and their possible Solutions

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ABSTRACT

LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES

CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background
Problem Statement
Objectives of the Study
Main Objective
Specific Objectives
Research Questions
Project Scope
Significance

CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
Overview
Weaknesses of file based systems
Requirements of an on-line application systems
Functional Requirements
Non Functional Requirements
Tools for developing online systems
Database back-end and web-based administration tool
Graphical front-end

CHAPTER THREE
METHODOLOGY
Research Design
Study Population
Sample Size
Sampling Procedure
Data Collection Instrument
Data collection Procedure
Data Analysis
DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
Data Analysis

CHAPTER FIVE
SYSTEM DESIGN
Logical Design
Physical Design

CHAPTER SIX:

FINDINGS, CONCLUTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

REFERENCES

QUESTIONNAIRE

LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES

FIGURE 4.1: Table of Statistical Data

FIGURE 4.2: Graphical Representation of Statistical Data

FIGURE 5.1: Enhanced waterfall model used for software develpment

FIGURE 5.2: Use case diagram for Datastar online Application system

FIGURE 5.3: Context diagram for Datastar online Application system

FIGURE 5.4: Data flow for Datastar online Application system

FIGURE 5.5: Entity relationship diagram for Datastar online Application system

FIGURE 5.6: Reverential Integrity

FIGURE 5.7: Table,Show how Homepage looks

FIGURE 5.8: Table, Show Online Application Form…

FIGURE 5.9: Table, Show how Administrator add courses

FIGURE 5.10: Table, Show how to for existing student

FIGURE 5.11: Table, Show how to delete

FIGURE 5.12: Table,Show how its apper the list of applicants

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background

According Macmillan English dictionary for advanced learners, admission is defined as a permission to join a club or become a student at a college or university.

According to Whitten and Bentley information system is an arrangement of people, data, processes, and interfaces that interact to support and improve day-to-day operations in a business as well as support the problem-solving and decision-making needs of management and users.

Online systems can provide more details and often include graphic and multimedia information for registrants. Most registration and application websites are database systems that automate the collection, tabulation and reporting of applicant information. Automated payment processing and confirmations also are standard features of online systems.

A student admission is a vital part of every college because students are what keep colleges alive. Student’s admission is one of the most important activities. A poor admissions system can mean fewer students being admitted into the college because of mistakes or an overly slow response time. The process begins with a potential student completing an application form through Datastar Training college online application system service.

The next step is that, the Admissions service center reviews the application and ensures that all of the required information has been provided, from the form itself to the supplementary documentation and School certificates. If any of the required information is missing, it is the secretary for the department to which the application concerns that contacts the potential student and arranges for the delivery of the outstanding data.

At Datastar training college, the application in its entirety is then forwarded, complete with a recommendation, to the respective department’s Admissions Tutor, who has the final say as to whether each potential student is accepted or rejected. Before making a decision, the Admissions Tutor reviews the application and the additional documentation, comparing the academic credentials to a list of college rankings and previous, similar applications.

Problem Statement

The file based student Application system has for many year been very effective. However with the increase in the number of applicant, the system wastes a lot of time in terms of searching for the applicant record, in addition to requiring a large number of human resources which has led to high cost of operation. It is because of the above that an online Application system was developed to allow the organization save time and reduce on the cost of operation.

Objectives of the Study

Main Objective

The goal of the project was to develop datastar online Application system to enable applicant to apply for various courses wherever they are.

Specific Objectives

- To examine the weakness of the manual Application system at datastar training college
- To identify requirements for an on-line Application system
- To develop an on-line Application system

Research Questions

- What are the weaknesses of manual Application system.
- What are the requirements of an on-line Application system.
- What tools can be used to develop an online Application system.

Project Scope

The study was carried out at datastar training college which is found in shaurimoyo/lindi Street in Dar-es salaam. It involved identification of the weakness of the current system, requirements of an on-line Application system and tools used to develop an online Application system.

Significance

- Data search time will be reduced using the database search menus.
- The system will enhance data integrity.
- The system will help the applicants to apply for various courses via the internet (www).

CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW

Overview

According to Gerald(2005), a system is a set of detailed methods, procedures, and routines established or formulated to carry out a specific activity, perform a duty, or solve a problem and also could be defined as an organized, purposeful structure regarded as a whole and consisting of interrelated and interdependent elements (components, entities, factors, members, parts etc.). These elements continually influence one another (directly or indirectly) to maintain their activity and the existence of the system, in order to achieve the goal of the system.

Weaknesses of file based systems

According to Thomas & Carolyn (1998), the limitations of File-Based Approach are Separation and isolation of data, Duplication of data, Data dependence, Incompatibility of files, and Fixed queries / proliferation of application programs. Raghu & Johannes (2007) concur with Thomas & Carolyn (1998).

Separation and isolation of data: When the data is stored in separate files it becomes difficult to access. It becomes extremely complex when the data has to be retrieved from more than two files as a large amount of data has to be searched.

Duplication of data: Due to the decentralized approach, the file system leads to uncontrolled duplication of data. This is undesirable as the duplication leads to wastage of a lot of storage space. It also costs time and money to enter the data more than once. For example, the address information of student may have to be duplicated in bus list file data.

Inconsistent Data: The data in a file system can become inconsistent if more than one person modifies the data concurrently, for example, if any student changes the residence and the change is notified to only his/her file and not to bus list. Entering wrong data is also another reason for inconsistencies.

Data dependence: The physical structure and storage of data files and records are defined in the application code. This means that it is extremely difficult to make changes to the existing structure. The programmer would have to identify all the affected programs, modify them and retest them. This characteristic of the File Based system is called program data dependence.

Incompatible File Formats: Since the structure of the files is embedded in application programs, the structure is dependent on application programming languages. Hence the structure of a file generated by COBOL programming language may be quite different from a file generated by ‘C’ programming language. This incompatibility makes them difficult to process jointly. The application developer may have to develop software to convert the files to some common format for processing. However, this may be time consuming and expensive.

Fixed Queries: File based systems are very much dependent on application programs. Any query or report needed by the organisation has to be developed by the application programmer. With time, the type and number of queries or reports increases. Producing different types of queries or reports is not possible in File Based Systems. As a result, in some organisations the type of queries or reports to be produced is fixed. No new query or report of the data could be generated.

Requirements of an on-line application systems

The Online application system requires the user to have a computer that is connected to the internet enable the user to access the online application database.

The online application system web application operates with the following Web Browsers: Microsoft Internet Explorer version 7.0 and above, and Mozilla Firefox 3.5 and above.

The online application system web application operates on a server running the latest versions of Apache. The Apache HTTP Server, commonly referred to as Apache, is a web server software notable for playing a key role in the initial growth of the World Wide Web. In 2009 it became the first web server software to surpass the 100 million website milestone. Apache was the first viable alternative to the Netscape Communications Corporation web server (currently named Oracle iPlanet Web Server), and since has evolved to rival other web servers in terms of functionality and performance. Typically Apache is run on a Unix-like operating system (Apache Software Foundation, 2009).

Apache is developed and maintained by an open community of developers under the auspices of the Apache Software Foundation. The application is available for a wide variety of operating systems, including Unix, GNU, FreeBSD, Linux, Solaris, Novell NetWare, AmigaOS, Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows, OS/2, TPF, and eComStation. Released under the Apache License, Apache is open-source software.

Functional Requirements

Defines about what the system must do after its successful accomplishment. Datastar online application system is able to perform these requirements, as during the requirement recitation.

The system can accept and store applicant details in the system database.

The system is able to process received from the applicants

The system is able to search a specific applicant formation from its database

The system allows the system administrator to login using user name and password.

A part from login also cans logout for security purpose.