GHANA TELECOM UNIVERSITY COLLEGE (GTUC)
FACULTY OF INFORMATICS
DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
TITLE:
DEVELOPMENT OF OFFLINE EXAMINATION (DIGITAL EXAMINATION) SYSTEM FOR THE TAKING OF EXAMINATIONS IN SCHOOLS
A Project Work Submitted in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirement for
Bsc. In Information Technology BY: TAKYI EMMANUEL FETSON ADAMS ADJARTEY KONO
SUPERVISOR: MR. BROWN AQCKUAYE
NOVEMBER 2011
DECLARATION
This project is presented as part of the requirements for BSc. in Information Technology awarded by Ghana Telecom University College. I hereby declare that this project is entirely the results of my work, research and techniques. I am confidence that this project work is not copied from any other person. All sources of information have however been acknowledged with due respect.
AUTHORS:
TAKYI EMMANUEL FETSON
SIGNATURE: DATE: SIGNATURE: DATE: SGNATURE: . SIGNATURE: DATE:
STUDENT ID: B020908123
ADAMS ADJARTEY KONO
STUDENT ID: SUPERVISOR: MR.B.AQUAYE HOD:
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
We thank the Almihty God for guiding and taking good care of us during the 4 years of hard work and dedication at Ghana Telecom University College (GTUC) and throuhout the whole project. During our 4 years in school , the lecturers of GTUC and staff helped us a lot, guiding us and extending their valuable guidance and help whenever required for the activities which we did. We am very thankful to our guide and supervisor Mr. Brown Acquaye for his invaluable guidance and supervision throughout the whole project activities. Not forgetting Mr. Henaku for helping us in choosing a better project topic to suit our area of study. We thank our head of department and the whole administration of GTUC for making it possible for us to bring to board what we have learnt so far and coming out with a better project to help in the future. We hope our work will serve as a tool to help others come out with a more betterproject than what we have achieved.
ABSTRACT
Digital Examination is a real time project. The project will be implemented using VB.Net. Examinations are more prone to malpractices when written manually. There is also a lot of stress on examiners or instructors when marking scripts of student. Some of these stresses will be handwriting differences, which has an impact on the student and the instructor as a whole. You can also talk of the time, lack of security of data, more man power, consumes large volume of pare work. In the existing system the exams are done only manually but in proposed system we have to computerize all the exams using this software. The aim of proposed system is to develop a system of improved facilities. The proposed system can overcome all the limitations of the existing system. The system provides proper security and reduces the manual work, security of data, ensure data accuracy, proper control of the higher officials, and minimize manual data entry. Minimum time is needed for the various processing. In conclusion, a well-developed system to answer the problem of manual exams writing to a more computerised one with advantages of exams being conducted easily, improved exam time management i.e., exam starts and end at the right time, valuation is easy and result can be published with in time. The disadvantages of the, system not able to work without power and hub.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................ 6 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 2 BACKGROUND....................................................................................................................... 6 OBJECTIVES ........................................................................................................................... 7 PROBLEM DEFINITION .......................................................................................................... 7 SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY ...................................................................................................... 8 LIMITATIONS OF STUDY ........................................................................................................ 8 RESEARCH QUESTIONS ......................................................................................................... 9
LITERATURE REVIEW............................................................................................................... 10 2.1 2.1.1 2.1.2 2.1.3 2.1.4 2.2 EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM IN GHANA ..................................................................................... 10 PRIMARY SCHOOL .......................................................................................................... 10 JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL......................................................................................... 10 SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL ......................................................................................... 11 UNIVERSITY EDUCATION ................................................................................................ 12 EXAMINATION SYSTEM IN GHANA ..................................................................................... 12
CHAPTER 1 1 INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND
Many educators teach to the test, with varying degrees of institutional support, therefore, for Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to produce educational transformation, educators must consider which assessment techniques permit students to utilise the affordances of new technology. Without a suitable, computer based way of conducting examinations (as an example of rigorous or standardised assessment); curriculum transformation may be unlikely to occur because assessment is a major determinant in teaching. This project is preliminary, producing an eExamination known as Digital Examination and its use in education institution. As flexible and online learning mediated by ICT becomes more pervasive, there is a growing need for educators to consider modes of assessment using more flexible and less man power work to accelerate taking of examinations in educational institutions. The cost of assessment and examination taking in higher education is the most rapidly growing component of tuition fees, however, the increasing discrepancy between teaching through blended or online delivery with a learning content management system, and assessing using pen and paper, is another reason to consider ways in which candidates can verify their, through examinations whilst using computers. The role of ICT in supporting the curriculum and examination has been extensively evaluated by some large, government sponsored projects, eg. The ICT and attainment review in England (Cox, Abbott, Webb, Blakeley, Beauchamp & Rhodes, 2003) found positive effects in almost all subjects, but particularly with specific uses such as word processing in English, modelling in mathematics, or using simulations in science. Many similar studies have noted the overall impact of ICT integration as additional motivation to learn since cheating in such environment is minimized, especially with Digital Examination.
1.2 OBJECTIVES
Digital Examination is a real time project. The project will be implemented using VB.Net. The aim of the project is to allow teachers to conduct examinations to the students. At the end of the project, a well-developed system using VB.Net will be produced. The main purpose of the system is to allow student take examination, but the system will also allow: Teachers can add new questions to the exam paper Teachers can set the duration of the exam Students attend the exam Administrators can generate various types of reports Administrators can enable security settings Print out of the grade sheet is issued when the student completes the exam, or when the duration is finished Students can view their past exam history
1.3 PROBLEM DEFINITION
In the existing system the exams are done only manually but in proposed system we have to computerize all the exams using this software. These are some of the problems of the existing system: Lack of security of data. More man power. Time consuming. Consumes large volume of pare work. Needs manual calculations. No direct role for the higher officials.
All the above problems exist in the existing system which is taking examination manually. Exams done manually has been in existing for long time and we think is time for some innovation by developing a computerise way of undertaking an examination. This will be controlled the same way manual exams taking is controlled but with better performance and less difficulties.
1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY
This project will be accepted by many educational institutions, since its main use is in schools. More stakeholders including GOVERNMENT will be interested in this project in many ways. Since this is an innovation, the government interest in this project will be as to implement this software in government schools to reduce exams malpractices. As a developing country, introducing Digital
Examination in schools shows that Ghana is developing ACADEMIA will be another reason why the schools will be interested in this project. Digital Examination will serve as the basics for other student to work and improve on our examination system. Also, it can be used as reference for similar projects STUDENTS will accept this project since they will be able to view their results instantly and also previous performance can be accessed anytime. Digital Examination will also save their time since is not manual. TEACHERS/EXAMINERS will also accept this project. Digital Examination will enable examiners to conduct their examination with ease and less manpower work.
1.5 LIMITATIONS OF STUDY
This system is going to solve a lot of problems pertaining to Examination and malpractices. Due to the time within which this project is supposed to be closed, the system is limited to certain functionalities when it could further be developed to attain great functionalities and better flexibilities. We could not get access to all the data we needed to develop this system. Because of this, the system will be developed base on the data collected so far for the project. Money is another problem why the system is limited in functionalities. Not enough funds were gathered to get all the resources we needed to develop the project.
1.6 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
At the end of this project, student will be happy. The system will solve their problem of difficulties in writing exams because of the flexibilities of the system. They will also get the opportunity to check their status just after the exams and with previous results too. Lecturers and examiners or teachers will also get their problem of difficulties in marking scripts and grading. The problem of exam malpractices will be minimised with Digital Examination. The government introducing this software in public institutions will show how developed this country is.
CHAPTER 2 2 LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM IN GHANA
In 1987, Ghana's Ministry of Education introduced a restructured educational system that gradually replaced the British-based O-level and A-level system. The transition was completed in June, 1996, when the last class took A-level exams. The last O-level exams were administered in June 1994, although remedial exams will be offered through 1999. Educational reform affects all Ghanaian schools, public and private, except for three non-Ghanaian schools that offer the American high school, London O/A level and the IGCSE/IB curricula. The Senior Secondary School curriculum, including syllabi, schedules, exams, marking systems, and to some extent textbooks, is determined by the Ministry of Education and is identical in all 500 Ghanaian secondary schools. As Ghana's educational reforms are implemented, review and curriculum adjustment are frequent. The list of required subjects, the grading system, and some subject syllabi may be different for each successive class. Admission officials are encouraged to contact the USIS Educational Advising Centre in Accra for clarification and evaluation of applicants' transcripts and to confirm all secondary school examination results from the West African Examinations Council, WAEC. 2.1.1 PRIMARY SCHOOL Ghanaian children enter Class One (first grade) during the calendar year in which they reach their sixth birthdays. For the first three years, teaching may be entirely in English or may integrate English and local languages. The majority of teachers are certified, having graduated from three-year Teacher Training Colleges. Children are taught to read in English, and all textbooks are in English. 2.1.2 JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL Junior Secondary School, or JSS, comprises Forms I through III (grades seven through nine). Admission is open to any student who has completed primary class six; there are no entrance exams, and junior secondary schools are part of the
country's nine-year Basic Education scheme to which all Ghanaian children are entitled. Junior secondary schools are usually sited on the same compounds as primary schools, and the school year for both systems runs for forty weeks, from October to August, six hours per day. The majority of JSS teachers are certified; in urban private schools, university graduates are found on teaching staffs. At the end of JSS Form III (ninth grade, fifteen years of age), two hundred thousand students take the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE). In 1998, the number of subjects examined was reduced from eleven or twelve to nine or ten, French being the optional subject. The BECE is administered and graded by WAEC; grading is on a descending 1-9 scale and consists of Continuous Assessment grades submitted by the student's school (30%) and the BECE national exam (70%). Nationwide, about 4% of the grades in any one exam are 1's. Admission to the Senior Secondary School is based exclusively on BECE results. At the most competitive senior secondary schools in Ghana, students may need nine or ten grades of 1's on their BECE exams to gain admission. 2.1.3 SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL Senior Secondary School (SSS) consists of Forms 1 through 3, equivalent to the American grades ten through twelve. An announcement from Ghana's Ministry of Education states, "The new Senior Secondary School reform has been developed in response to criticism that, in the past, this level of education has been overly academic and removed from the country's development and manpower trends. The reform will include a core curriculum to be followed by all Senior Secondary students, along with five specialized programs, two or more of which will be offered in each school. Students will select one specialized program, within which they will follow one option consisting of a package of three subjects." The core curriculum originally consisted of seven subjects studied throughout the three year senior secondary period: English, Science, Mathematics, Agricultural and Environmental Studies, Ghanaian Language (9 different languages offered), Life Skills (renamed Social Studies in 1999) and Physical Education. Beginning with the class of 1998, the core curriculum was reduced to six subjects: English, Integrated
Science, Mathematics, Social Studies, Physical Education, Religious and Moral Education. Students are examined only in the first four of these subjects. 2.1.4 UNIVERSITY EDUCATION Ghanas tertiary institutions enrol over 100,000 students in undergraduate, graduate, certificate and diploma programs in a full range of academic and professional fields. Twenty-one private institutions are also accredited by the National Accreditation. Their enrolment totals less than 5,000, but they are expected to become a recognized force during the next decade. Ten public polytechnics offer three-year Higher National Diplomas in applied business and technology fields. The HND is not equivalent to a Bachelors degree, but undergraduate transfer credit can be awarded, as is also the case for Teacher Training Colleges and other tertiary non-degree programs. Ghanaian university admission is highly competitive, especially in fields such as medicine, engineering, law, and pharmacy. The quality of education is considered reasonably high, evidence that human resources are more significant than material resources. In an effort to attract international enrolment, all Ghanaian universities operate on a modular, semester system. The University of Ghana is committed to 10% international population and attracts significant numbers of American students, as well as students from Africa and Europe. The United Nations University operates several programs on campus in fields of health and development.
2.2 EXAMINATION SYSTEM IN GHANA
In the Junior High Schools (J.H.S) exist 3 terms and 3 years. After primary education, a student is enrolled in the JHS to continue his education. During this period, a student is expected to complete JHS in 3 years. Each year comprises of 3 terms. At the end of each term, there is an examination to be conducted. Examination is manual; the used of papers and pen, which is done in all the 3 years of study till the final year 3 where basic education certificate exams is conducted which enables the student to enter into Senior High School (S.H.S). The SHS also comprises of 3 years which a manual examination of pen and paper is taken in every term of 3 terms in a year. The final term of the final year 3 is
West African Certificate Exams which is also manual and is taken in all West African SHS is Africa. This also ushers a student to enter into a university or tertiary institution. In the university, exams are also conducted manually. It takes 4 years of study in Ghana for a student to complete a university. Each year comprised of 2 semesters which a manual exams is conducted in each semester. This means that from the JHS to university in Ghana exams is full of manual examination.
