MSc project investigate

1. what the problem is?

The students of computing school are required to take a number of modules ( usually is four modules ) every semester. Some modules are mandatory(e.g. must take) while some can be choosed from a list of modules. The course leader need to provide or collect a list of elective modules to differenct students based on their course and stage.

Currently, this process is done by manual and can be divided into several steps:

Step 1: The co-ordinator will find which courses students need to pick up the elective modules next semester.

Step 2: The co-ordinator ask the course leaders the list of modules which can be choosen by the students depending on their course and stage.

Step 3: According to the result by the course leaders, the co-ordinator will provide a list of options to the students who need take the elective modules and ask them to arrange the options based on the priority(e.g which one is the first choice, which one can be the second, which one is the third... etc).

Step 4: The students fill in the form and sign their signature and submit to the co-ordinator.

Step 5: The co-ordinator get the choices from students and arrange the elective modules to the students by mannual or programs.

Obviously, the current system is low effective and easy to make mistake.

One obvious alternative way to improve the current system is to move the system to online.

Collect the requirement,

1. How many kinds of people are involved in this system?
Answer: 1. co-ordinator (admin）
2. course leaders can assign the different modules to the different students according to the students course and stage.
              3. students can choose the elective modules from the modules which they can choose.

2. How to get the data of the student, module, staff?
Because the data of the student, module, course and staff are stored in current system already. Is it possible to use the data or need to create the data again?
But, if create the data again, how to synchronize the data when the data changed? For example, if one of the student change the course or the staff changed the role?

3. Since this is a multi-user system. The authentication is very important. How to avoid the users login as the other users?
Option 1, the system will ask all the users to regist. ( Dont' use the existing database)
But, if someone don't use their student ID or use the other person's ID to register, how does the system know who is who?
This way may not be a good choice.

Option 2, why not use the existing database? Since all the users has their username and password and these information are stored in the database. Can our system just use it?
But , how? How does the system use the data which is stored in the existing database?
1. direct access?
no! The database administrator will definately say no to you. Because it is not under his/her control and if you update or delete the data?? What will happen? "£$%%^~
2. Ask the database administrator provider an interface to read the data from the database? just query, no delete, no update the record?
maybe.
3. use LDAP?

The process:
1. The co-ordinator(administrator) inspect the system which course students need to choose the elective module.
Question:
Currently, how does the co-ordinator know which course students need to choose the module?

2. The system show the course and course leader list one by one.
If click the link of course, it will direct to another page which show the details of this course (e.g. course code, course name, course leader, students in this course)
There will has a check box after each course, so the administrator can choose the courses and click the "send" button.
The system will automatically send a mail to the course leader and ask them to provide the elective modules for the course students.

3. When the course leaders receive the mail, they can click the link in the mail which will lead them to the system.
They can find their tasks.
After the course leaders provider the modules. The system will automatically send the mails to the students and ask them to choose the module. Of course, there has a link url in the mail.

4. When all the students choosed their modules, the course status will display green, means all the students choosed their modules. Otherwise, the status will display red. If click the status, details will be displayed.

The co-ordinator and the course leaders can send email to the other users(students) through this system.