CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
1.1
Background of the Study
Following the massification of higher education, transferring has emerged
in numbers as a common route of entry to baccalaureate studies. Due to the
growing aspirations of transferees pursuing bachelor’s degrees in universities, the
size of the transfer student population has been booming over the past decade.
Although there is no shortage of quantitative studies on this subpopulation of
university students, particularly in the Philippines, few qualitative studies have
been conducted to understand students’ transfer experiences.
According to Tobolowsky and Cox (2019), the complex transition
processes brought about by transferring can bring about a “turbulent pathway”,
challenging
the
students’
psychological,
academic,
and
environmental
adjustment. Driving a host of studies on theory of student involvement posit that
both academic and social involvement and integration into the university
contribute to students’ persistence in learning and their degree attainment. A
commonly known phenomenon confronting transferees is the “campus culture
shock” that can occur when faced with the less personal atmosphere and support
systems in university. Prior studies have also suggested that university
2
management and administrators seldom lack a sound understanding of
transferee’s experiences, leading to “institutional neglect” of these students as a
separate population and thereby “overlooking” their needs and the resources
available to them.
Together with the certificate of transfer credentials, average grade
requirement (GWA/GPA) and certificate of good moral character, submission of
valid Transcript of Records (TOR) is essential during admissions for transferee
students but also the complicated one. The student transferee must apply for
accreditation of subjects during enrolment period where the accreditation will be
determined by the department chairperson of the subject concerned and must be
approved by the college dean. Furthermore, only the subjects leading to a degree
program taken by the transferee shall be validated and accredited with subjects
only with similar course content and number of units will earn credits.
In this study, the researchers aim to figure out and come up with a solution
for making accreditation of subjects more convenient for the transferee students
of the University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines– Cagayan
de Oro. Currently, the transferees find it difficult to track with their TOR
accreditation status, meanwhile the admission personnel needed to individually
send emails to each program chairmans to follow up for a subject accreditation,
while the program chairman's need to evaluate each the student applicants and
3
check the subject concerned to see if the student is eligible to enroll for a specific
degree program—consuming more time in the process.
In this case, the
researchers would utilize a monitoring system to accurately notify the transferees
with the status of their subject accreditation as well as provide an efficient
platform for the program chairmans to conveniently assess transferees
accreditation without the worry of going through hundreds of jam-packed emails,
making space for the admission personnel for a less-hassle work of sending
numerous follow up emails. Monitoring system is the systematic process of
collecting, analyzing and using information to track a programme’s progress
toward reaching its objectives and to guide management decisions. Using email
notification and follow ups monitoring, the system can automatically send email
updates regarding the TOR accreditation updates to the student, removing a
redundant amount of time consumed by manually sending one.
To make the system perform successfully, the researchers would take
advantage of this opportunity to solve the problems by implementing a modern
and specific program to make their work hassle-free and organize data to provide
better service to their members. Aside from automated email notifications for
updates and convenient subject accreditation, the researchers would also create a
venue for the transferee students to view a real-time status of their accredited
subjects.
4
1.2
Statement of the Problem
Transferee students applying at the University of Science and Technology
of Southern Philippines – Cagayan de Oro City campus have been dealing with
issues regarding difficulty in tracking their TOR subject accreditation status and
its time-consuming process. The admission has made submission of documents
for transferee students fully due online, however the process had limitations,
it only cater submission of documents and transferees found it difficult to follow
up their accreditation status, while the admission needed to carry sending
numerous emails to keep up with the process, which was definitely
labor-intensive
1.3
Objective of Study
1.3.1
General Objective
This study generally aims to create an Email Notification and
Follow ups Monitoring System for the Accreditation of Subjects for
Transferee Students at the University of Science and Technology of
Southern Philippines.
5
1.3.2
Specifically, this study aims to:
1. Design a web-based system for USTP – Transferee Students
enrolling under the College of Information Technology and
Computing (CITC) to monitor their accredited subjects online.
2. Develop a real-time follow up monitoring system and automated
email notification for the transferees regarding the TOR
accreditation status.
3. Test the functionality and usability of the proposed system to the
USTP – Transferee Students.
1.4
Scope and Limitation
This study focuses on developing an email notification and subject
accreditation monitoring system for transferee students enrolling on the four
programs under the College of Information Technology and Computing (CITC),
which includes BS in Information Technology (IT), BS in Technology
Communication Management (TCM), BS in Data Science (DS) and BS in
Computer Science (CS) at the University of Science and Technology of Southern
Philippines–Cagayan de Oro (USTP-CDO).
6
This study is only limited to the enrolled transferee students and program
chairmans that has subjects handled under all the departments of the College of
Information Technology and Computing (CITC). This study is the second phase
and continuation of a two-part system where the first phase is pursued by another
group of researchers with the title, “USTP Curriculum Mapping using Optical
Character Recognition”. This web application would serve as a subject
accreditation monitoring system for the transferee students, where the transferees
can view a real-time status of their accredited subjects and the program chairmans
can also see over the following approved subjects of each student.
Also, this study emphasizes the following specific variables; send
automated email notification updates for the transferee students regarding their
TOR accreditation status, and provide an efficient platform for the program
chairmans to conveniently assess transferees accreditation without the worry of
going through hundreds of jam-packed emails.
7
1.5
Significance of the Study
The need to create a system that takes advantage of the features offered by
a computer-based system is due to the current system's inability to keep up with
the increasingly exponential work in the utility and the need for efficiency in
accreditation procedures. Upon the completion of this study, it would be
beneficial to the following:
Transferee Students. The web application would provide the transferee a
venue where they can track/monitor their subject accreditation status, and would
be given automated email notification as well with the updates of their TOR
process. This study would easily be accessible and convenient for the students for
they will not manually email the admission anymore asking for a follow up with
the status of their accreditation.
Program Chairmans. The web application would give room for an
efficient accreditation process for the program chairmans to conveniently assess
transferees accreditation. This would reduce the hassle and trouble of going
through hundreds of jam packed emails, and would also help them approve or
decline a subject in just an instant without taking much time verifying the
transferee's information.
8
Admission and Scholarship Office Personnel. This serves as an instant
bridge between admission personnels and program chairman. The web
application would give the personnels less-hassle work of sending numerous
followup emails to each chairmans, minimizing the time spent on manually
sending individual emails.
1.6
Definition of Terms
1.
Transferee students - refers to the transferee students of University
of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines - Cagayan de Oro
campus.
2.
Program Chairman - refers to the program chairman of University
of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines - Cagayan de Oro
City campus whose responsibility is to accredit the transferee
students’ subject.
3.
Monitoring System - provides information on a continuous basis to
inform programme managers about planned and actual developments.
It involves collecting and analyzing data to verify that resources are
used as intended, that activities are implemented according to plan,
that the expected products and services are delivered and that
intended beneficiaries are reached.
9
4.
Email Notification - is a type of triggered email that’s sent in
response to specific user action or other event.
5.
Cascading - a process whereby something, typically information or
knowledge, is successively passed on.
6.
Accreditation - the action or process of officially recognizing
someone as having a particular status or being qualified to perform a
particular activity.
7.
Tracking - the act or process of locating something or someone.
8.
First phase of two-part system - this refers to the first-part study
entitled “USTP Curriculum Mapping using Optical Character
Recognition”, handled by another group of researchers.
10
CHAPTER 2
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
This chapter presents the related literature and applications after the
thorough research done by the researchers. This proposes the concepts and
existing technologies that can help in fully understanding the study. Also included
is the definition of important terms that will be fully explained throughout the
chapter.
2.1
Related Readings
`
2.1.1
Email notifications
Email notifications are a type of triggered email—email that’s sent
in response to specific user action or other event. Beyond the purely
functional needs, notifications also are a valuable communication tool that
enables product teams to directly engage with their clients. They help
deliver a great user experience and are one of the most influential tools
that product management teams have to drive conversion, retention, and
growth. According to Schlossnagle (2020), there are different types of
approach in email notification, understanding what types of email
notifications to use throughout various touch points can be critical to a
11
product's success. These approaches include activation emails, where a
notification is sent as soon as a new user creates an account. It’s the first
email notification users will receive, and is a critical path step towards
user activation, serving to verify the email address the user provided is
valid and working. Next on the list is activity notifications, often regarded
as an important tool for alerting users to changes in workflows and for
integrating in-app activity with many users’ primary environment. They
also are an effective way of reengaging passive users who might not be
using the app on a regular basis. Also one definite usable approach
includes automated messages where push notifications and emails get sent
to users in instant. They are commonly used for drip campaigns like
re-engaging inactive users or sending updates for certain activities like
status regarding academic work or notifying upcoming events where users
might be interested to join with. These notification approaches serve an
important purpose and perhaps most importantly, they reinforce trust in
services and help to build long-lasting relationships between a business
and its customers. This serves as a tool for monitoring and follow-up of
emails sent and includes automated messages and push notifications to
ensure that the students are kept informed of the latest updates regarding
their subject accreditation. Furthermore, the system will enable the
university to build trust and strengthen its relationships with its customers.
12
2.1.2
Monitoring
Monitoring provides information on a continuous basis to inform
programme managers about planned and actual developments. Effective
monitoring should be central to all projects as it helps to detect problems,
take corrective actions and lay the groundwork to produce evidence about
what actually works. There are various monitoring techniques available,
from classic pinging and using the Simple Network Management Protocol
(SNMP) to vendor-specific methods. Additionally, some offerings use
agents for monitoring while others use agentless technology. None of
these are right or wrong; as it’s important to choose based on the system
demands. Orafik (2021) demonstrated the four most important things to
consider when strengthening the monitoring approaches: ease of
deployment, configuration, and maintenance, flexibility, availability of the
data to external systems and other modules within the solution once it’s
collected and intelligent filtering alert noise. Monitoring may not be the
sexiest discipline for the government IT community, but it’s critical in
ensuring systems are optimized and the mission is uninterrupted. As
crucial as it plays the backbone of the system as it monitors the data from
the transferee students to the program chairman to check if all the
information stated is correct.
13
2.1.3
Tracking
With today’s rapid developments in technology and the increasing
emphasis on efficient information management, tracking systems have
been developed as a solution to improve the efficiency of retrieving data
or locations online at any given time. Also known as a locating system,
tracking is used in observing persons or objects on the move and
supplying a timely ordered sequence of location data for further
processing. There are a myriad of tracking systems existing in the market
today and one of most well-known is the Global Positioning System or the
GPS. These days, even the cheapest smartphones have decent GPS chips
and most places on Earth have GPS coverage. This accuracy makes a big
difference in cities and high-density locations where the reflection off and
within buildings has previously limited GPS practicality for indoor
tracking purposes. As GPS accuracy improves and device batteries
become more powerful, GPS could increasingly become the cheapest,
most ubiquitous option for all kinds of passive people tracking. Aside
from GPS, there are also tons of systems available such as RFID or
radio-frequency identification system, which is a hugely popular system in
distribution, logistics and inventory management for its ability to identify
many items at once without direct line-of-sight. Passive RFID systems are
14
characterized by tags that are powered by the readers, meaning they don’t
require a power source. Active RFID systems have more expensive,
battery-powered tags that broadcast their own signal at a range up to 100
yards. Geofencing is another type of tracking system that is more passive
and may use GPS or RFID technology. Unlike many tracking technologies
that regularly report its location constantly, geofencing trackers have a
receiver that can easily detect the current location. In case, if the tracker
goes outside the designated or defined region then it leads to activating
the alarm or informing about the same via a transmitter. This technology
is used in retail stores as loss prevention scanners, as a tracking device for
children, and others. Digitizing paper records might seem like a
gargantuan task however, with a document tracking system not only is it
manageable, but it could vastly improve the way everything operates.
Document tracking system automates the process of accessing, searching
and editing documents and enables control who views or edits a
document. Also known as file tracking systems, it is most commonly used
in the financial, healthcare, academic and legal sectors, owing to the
sensitive nature of their documents. This correlates to the system as it
keeps track of all the records from the transferee students while limiting
the chairman what specific subject will be displayed the transferee student
wants to enroll in.
15
2.2
Related Journals
2.2.1
A Novel Approach to Control Emails Notification using NLP
The study focuses on users who received a large volume of emails
in a specific interval, aiding the problem using the Email Notification and
Control System (NLP). This proposed approach was carried out in three
phases; initially takes into account individual user preferences, to classify
the emails regarded as the first phase and then further classification of
emails into categories called as the second phase. It further includes
ranking the emails according to the respective clusters or categories. This
would provide the users with an individual artificially intelligent system
which would be capable of reducing the time and effort to search for a
particular email as well as save them from frequent spamming of
mailboxes. This would lead to a positive and vibrant attitude when
checking the emails and would increase the email response rate from the
users. Halder, M. (2021)
2.2.1
Email Classification using back Propagation Technique
This research proposes a new email categorization model that
implements back propagation utilizing a multi-layer neural network
teaching method. Email has evolved into one of the most efficient and
16
quick modes of communication. However, an increase in email users with
a large volume of email messages may result in unstructured mail boxes,
email congestion, email overload, and unprioritized email messages,
which has resulted in a rapid surge in email classification management
solutions in recent years. The contributions include a demonstration of the
effectiveness of two equal sets of emails training and testing data, as well
as the use of empirical analysis to select an optimum, novel collection of
features of a user. Ayodele, T. et al. (2010)
2.2.3
Grading Email and Generating Feedback
Email has become the most preferred form of business
communication. Writing "good" email has become an essential skill
required in the industry. "Good" email writing not only facilitates clear
communication, but also makes a positive impression on the recipient,
whether it be one's colleague or a customer. The aim of this paper is to
demystify the components of a "good" email and to define a set of
parameters by which to grade the quality of an email and provide detailed
feedback. These characteristics comprise the metrics the researchers used
to evaluate the quality of the various constituent parts of an email. The
proponents grade the email using artificial intelligence, acting on
17
semi-structured text. The researchers use a mix of machine learning and
rule-based systems to effectively grade an email on the specified
parameters. The system automatically grades email with accuracy
comparable to human graders. Abhishek, U. et al. (2019)
2.3
Related Systems
2.3.1
Attendance Monitoring System
An Existing Group created an Attendance Monitoring System for
Our Lady of Victories Academy also known as "OLOVA" in Amulong,
Cagayan. The system is created for the teachers and other staff or
personnel in their school to Maximize the time of the teachers to their
attendance by using their ID. The system can also be used by students
with huge activities in the school like foundations, intramurals and other
mass activities. This is for an efficient time checking for the attendance of
the student in the event. The system works by scanning the ID and it will
automatically reflect on the database, it is also capable of computing a
penalty to be given depending on his/her attendance as regards to his/her
absences per event. Pablo, B. (2015)
18
2.3.2
Faculty Attendance Monitoring Using Rfid With Overload
Computation And Email Notification For City College Of Calamba
Being in an office means time is important and efficiency must be
observed almost every time. The objective of the study is to aid the
institution of City College of Calamba on their Faculty Attendance
Monitoring, a system Radio Frequency Identification or RFID technology
is embedded within the faculty members' ID card for a much more
efficient way of taking attendance. The researcher aims to use RFID
technology for Daily time in and time out of each faculty member and it is
also used to aid the personnel-in-charge regarding the overload salary
computation of faculty members. Once a member's RFID is checked an
automation of the total worked hours is computed and notify them for
their attendance through email.
The researchers proposed a system which is easy to understand
direction and uses a friendly interface which also provides generated
reports such as daily time record and overload pay slip. The system can
also perform in a minimal amount of time and handles the information
and records giving the users convenience and redirecting their time into a
more productive work. Mati, E. et al. (2017)
19
2.3.3
Student Monitoring System with RFID & SMS Notification for
Student Enhanced Curriculum in Arts Program
This research looks at how an Enhanced Curriculum in the Arts
Program Student Monitoring System with RFID and SMS Notification
can be improved. The existing routine of entering and exiting the school,
which was to be checked by utilizing the gate guard every time they went
to school. The primary goal is the machine where RFID tags should be
worn by students, and they will simply skip through the RFID reader to
learn their information and save the file of their time in and time out to the
database. Just for convenience, SMS notifications are sent to their father
and mother. The proposed work would be of great use to the mothers and
fathers of college students, notably in the Enhanced Curriculum in the
Arts Program, by allowing them to easily monitor the students' arrival and
exit. Mendoza, A. et al. (2019)
2.3.4
Attendance Monitoring System Using Admission Number
Authentication
The traditional system is still mostly used in the lecture room or
laboratory session in most institutions today. Where the lecturer or
instructor will give out a sheet of paper containing the list of student's
20
names to sign or in some cases, the student will be the ones to write their
names, data and student id to indicate their presence for a particular class.
Despite all the traditional ways, computers are becoming more intelligent
as the researchers learn more about how to automate human work
processes. The research aims to use technology to create a much more
efficient attendance monitoring system with the use of admission number
authentication. It is a computer-based system with the capability to easily
check the attendance of students, focusing more on verifying the
regulation of students in attending lectures. The project serves as a
replacement for the present system to have a much more efficient way to
monitor the student and to have more time for more productive activities.
Sani, W. (2019)
2.4
Related Literature Summary
The following is the summary of the functionalities provided by each
application is summarized in Table 1. This summary highlights key findings and
provides a comprehensive overview of the current state of the study and seeks to
identify gaps in existing knowledge and provide a basis for common themes and
areas of agreement, and provide context for the development of the project.
21
SUMMARY OF FUNCTIONALITIES IN EACH APPLICATION
TITLE
monitoring
system
A Novel Approach to
Control Emails Notification
using NLP (2021)
Email Classification using
back Propagation Technique
(2010)
Grading Email and
Generating Feedback (2019)
✔
automated
textweb- based
email
messaging
system
notification notification
schoolbased
cascading
features
✔
✔
✔
✔
✔
✔
✔
✔
✔
✔
Attendance Monitoring
System (2015)
✔
✔
✔
✔
Faculty Attendance
Monitoring Using RFID
(2017)
✔
✔
✔
Student Monitoring System
With RFID & SMS
Notification (2019)
✔
✔
✔
Attendance Monitoring
System Using Admission
Number Authentication
(2019)
✔
✔
✔
Email Notification
and Follow ups
Monitoring System
for the Accreditation
of Subjects for Transferee
Students of USTP - CDO
✔
✔
✔
✔
✔
✔
Table 1. Comparison of Related Studies to the Proposed System
✔
22
.
The table shows the comparison between the related studies and the
current system used and the proposed system. The proposed system offers
advanced features such as support for multiple users, improved user experience,
better scalability, and better security. Additionally, the proposed system also
offers increased flexibility and is more cost-effective than the current system.
Overall, the table provides an in-depth comparison between the current and
proposed systems, helping users make informed decisions about which system
would be the best fit for their particular needs.
2.5
Synthesis of Review of Related Literature
Email notifications, monitoring, and tracking systems have become
essential tools for product teams, government IT communities, and businesses to
create a great user experience, drive conversion, and build long-lasting
relationships with their customers.
This review of related literature synthesizes a variety of approaches to
email notifications, monitoring, tracking, automated messages and attendance
systems. For monitoring, there are a variety of techniques available such as
pinging, SNMP, agents and agentless technology. Tracking systems such as GPS,
RFID, geofencing, and document tracking systems are also used for tracking and
locating persons or objects on the move.
23
Furthermore, various studies have been conducted to propose novel
approaches for controlling emails using NLP, email classification using back
propagation techniques and grading emails and generating feedback. Systems
have also been developed for monitoring and tracking such as attendance
monitoring systems using RFID and SMS notifications, attendance monitoring
systems using admission number authentication, and faculty attendance
monitoring using RFID with overload computation and email notification.
Collectively, this literature reveals the importance of email notifications,
monitoring, tracking, and attendance systems to optimize systems and ensure
uninterrupted missions.
24
CHAPTER 3
METHODOLOGY
This chapter covers an overview of the design and implementation of the
proposed system, an evaluation of the tools used, and a discussion of the data
collected and analyzed in order to measure the effectiveness of the system.
Moreover, this chapter also outlines the methods and techniques used to interpret
the results and draw conclusions from the data collected.
3.1
How the System Works
Figure 1. Methodology Model of the Proposed System
25
Within further trials and testing, the proponents chose Agile Methodology
for the system in order to ensure that the system project can be completed in a
timely and efficient manner. Agile methodology allows the researchers to move
through the project life cycle stages quickly and make necessary changes on the
fly if needed. This methodology also allows the researchers to prioritize tasks and
get feedback from stakeholders during each phase. By using this methodology,
the researchers can ensure that they are creating a product that meets the needs of
the customers and provides the best possible user experience. The agile
methodology gives the researchers the ability to quickly build and deploy a
working system that can be used by the students, it also allows the researchers to
quickly identify and fix any potential bugs and defects that may arise. The agile
methodology can help the researchers ensure that their product is built and
deployed in the most efficient and effective way possible.
3.2
Data Gathering
The researchers conducted a two way interview (Personal and Call) for
both the transferee students and the admission from the University of Science and
Technology of Southern Philippines, Cagayan de Oro City. The questions that the
researchers asked are based on what method the admission uses in crediting the
transferee student’s subject and what problems both parties encountered during
26
the process. The researchers asked questions about how the admission managed
in monitoring the transferee students’ subject accreditation, how many days does
accreditation process take, what are the basis to be used in order for a subject to
be accredited or rejected, and what are the struggles the transferees face upon
processing their accreditation. In order to have an efficient accreditation process,
they need a monitoring system that would automatically send a notification via
email and have real time updates on the current status of the transferee’s
accreditation. By this, it would help the transferees follow up with their
accreditation as well assist the admission in managing the student's TOR. The
possible users of the proposed system would be the transferee students and
program chairman of USTP.
The researchers had created a survey form with the use of Google Forms
in order to assess the usability of the system, with the transferee students and
program chairmans as respondents. The survey form consists of questions related
to the functionality and usability of the system which were designed to measure
the user experience and the functional requirement/specifications. The survey
form was then sent to both the transferee students and program chairpersons via
messenger and email. On the other hand, the functionality of the system was
tested by the developers themselves with four (4) trials throughout the
development of the system.
27
After the survey forms had been sent, the researchers monitored the
responses and analyzed the results. The responses were compiled and organized
into categories based on the questions and then analyzed to understand the overall
satisfaction of the users. The results and feedback from the survey were used to
identify areas in need of improvement and to make necessary changes to the
systems in order to improve the functionality and usability of the systems for the
transferee students and program chairpersons.
3.3
Development Stage of the Proposed System
In this stage, the researchers would create a design interface prototype
system that would serve as a guide to the researchers in the programming process.
The researchers would also include diagrams such as system architecture, context
diagram, use case diagram, ERD, the flowchart, algorithm and other important
details. Other platforms and technology would also be taken into consideration
that would be a huge help in the completion of the proposed system.
28
3.3.1
System Architecture
Figure 2. System Architecture of the Proposed System
The diagram visually explains the whole process that the system will
undergo. After the first group stores student data in the database, the system
accesses the data in the database. After the system detects data, it sends an email
to the chairmans and the student. The chairman has the ability to view the
student’s subjects that are in their respective departments. The chairman also has
the ability to accredit, accept or reject, subjects they deem fit or unfit to the
curriculum. When a subject is accredited, the transferee student receives an email
notifying them that a subject has been accredited. The transferees also receives
29
their unique code that they can input into the website along with their notification
email. With this, the transferee students can view their accreditation process
easily at the click of the hand..
3.3.2
Context Diagram
Figure 3. Context Diagram of the Proposed System
After receiving the data, the student information would then be sent to a
college chairman, through website and email; to notify them for accreditation.
The student would also receive an email telling them that the accreditation is
under way. The transferee student would also receive a unique code, in which
they could use to input in the website to view and monitor their progress. After
the subject has been given a verdict, it would then send an email to the student,
updating him on the status of the accreditation, and it would then cascade emails
to the next chairmans, to approve the next subject of the student.
30
3.3.3
Use Case Diagram
Figure 4. Use Case Diagram of the Proposed System
Figure 4 shows the operation of the program chairman and transferee
student. Program chairman can login and logout from the system, View
Transferee Student’s Subject, and has a different user interface that allows to
accredit or reject transferee’s subject and can update their user information in the
profile page. While the transferee student would be given a unique tracking code
that will be entered in the system. This code will be the key to view their
respective accreditation status. The students can then download a document
which contains a copy of their accreditation of subjects from the system.
31
3.3.4
Database Diagram (ERD)
Figure 5. Database Diagram (ERD) of the Proposed System
Based on Figure 5, the student table contains credentials of the transferee
student on which it is one-to-many connected to the subjects_enrolled table that
contains the subject information of the transferee student. The student table has a
one-to-one relationship with the TOR table, which holds the file image of the
student TOR
The subjects_enrolled table is many-to-one connected to the
department table that contains all the different departments information of the
system. The subjects_enrolled table has a many-to-many relationship with the
subjects table which holds all of the subject information in the system. The
subjects table also has a many-to-one relationship with the department table. The
department table has a one-to-one relationship with the users table, which holds
all the user information of the chairman.
32
`3.3.5 Algorithm
Figure 6. Algorithm of the Proposed System
33
Figure 6 shows the whole step by step process of the system from storing
of data to data display. First step is the storing of the student data in the database,
it is where the proponents, from the first part of the project (Image-to-Text), will
store data in the database and from that the system would read the new data. The
system would then send an email to both the student and the chairman, informing
the student that their data has now reached the system, and informing the
chairman that there is a new TOR to be accredited..
From this point, the researchers will have two points of view to analyze.
First is the student point of view. After the student receives an email, the student
can find their individual unique codes, to input into the system, in the content of
their emails. Then the student can then go to the website, by typing the system's
url or clicking the link provided in the email, and then they can input their unique
codes in the blank space provided. Once the student inputs their unique code, they
can now then view the progress of their accreditation status. Lastly, they have the
option to download it into a document to show to their chairmans for signing.
Second is from the chairman point of view wherein after the notification
email has been received, the chairmans can now go to the website. After entering
the website, they must click on Login and enter their account details, and then
click Sign in. After signing in they have a view of the list of students for
accreditation. They can then click the view button to view a student's subjects for
34
accreditation. The chairman can choose the subject which they deemed
acceptable and not acceptable, and as they accept and reject subjects, an email
will be sent to students, updating them on the new status of one of their subjects
for accreditation. After accreditation, the chairman can also accredit more
students, by clicking on the “Enrolled Students' button to see the list of the
students again.
3.4
Technicality of the Project
The proponents have used a web-based program wherein the target users
can access it easily through a website. There are only two users of the
system—the transferee students and the program chairmans under the College of
Information Technology and Computing. The program chairmans are given with
their respective accounts to login so that they won't need to create a new one,
while the transferee students are provided with a specific transaction number sent
to their emails to use to check their respective TOR accreditation on the website
on real time update. To give privacy to the transferees, only the people involved
in the system are allowed to view their TOR, which are the program chairmans
and the transferees themselves. Moreover, there are some of the technical terms
that are being used in the project: CSS, JavaScript HTML, PHP, Laravel (PHP
framework) and MySQL (Database).
35
3.5
Technology to be Used
1. HyperText Markup Language - HTML is a markup language that
defines the structure of your content. HTML consists of a series of
elements, which you use to enclose, or wrap, different parts of the content
to make it appear a certain way, or act a certain way. The enclosing tags
can make a word hyperlink to somewhere else, can italicize words, can
make the font bigger or smaller, and so on.
2. Cascading Style Sheets
- CSS is the language for describing the
presentation of Web pages, including colors, layout, and fonts. It allows
one to adapt the presentation to different types of devices, such as large
screens, small screens, or printers. CSS is independent of HTML and can
be used with any XML-based markup language.
3. JavaScript - Javascript is used by programmers across the world to create
dynamic and interactive web content like applications and browsers.
JavaScript is so popular that it's the most used programming language in
the world, used as a client-side programming language by 97.0% of all
websites.
4. PHP Hypertext Preprocessor - a programming language that allows web
developers to create dynamic content that interacts with databases. PHP is
basically used for developing web based software applications.
36
5. MySQL - MySQL is a database management system.It may be anything
from a simple shopping list to a picture gallery or the vast amounts of
information in a corporate network. To add, access, and process data
stored in a computer database, you need a database management system
such as MySQL Server.
6. XAMPP - XAMPP is one of the widely used cross-platform web servers,
which helps developers to create and test their programs on a local
webserver. It was developed by the Apache Friends, and its native source
code can be revised or modified by the audience.
7. Visual Studio Code - Visual Studio Code is a streamlined code editor
with support for development operations like debugging, task running,
and version control. It aims to provide just the tools a developer needs for
a quick code-build-debug cycle and leaves more complex workflows to
fuller featured IDEs, such as Visual Studio IDE.
8. Laravel - Laravel is a web application framework with expressive,
elegant syntax. Laravel attempts to take the pain out of development by
easing common tasks used in the majority of web projects, such as
authentication, routing, sessions, and caching.
9. Composer - Composer is a tool for dependency management in PHP. It
allows you to declare the libraries your project depends on and it will
manage the following libraries and commands.
37
3.6
System Requirements
The researchers would provide a comprehensive analysis of the current
system, identify areas of improvement, and propose a more efficient and effective
technological solution to the problem. Furthermore, this chapter outlines the
necessary requirements needed to successfully implement the proposed system.
3.6.1
Technical Feasibility
a. Hardware
● RAM - 4GB or above
● ROM - 8GB or above
● Hard Disk - 250GB or above
● Processor - Intel Core i3 or equivalent
b. Software
● Applications - Visual Studio Code, XAMPP, Github
● Operating Systems - Windows, Mac OS, Linux
c. Browser - Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge,
Brave
d. End Devices - Computer, Smart Phone, Tablet
38
3.7
Gantt Chart
Target
activities
Target
Accomplishments
Concept Paper
Presentation
-
Feedback on
presentation and the
needed improvements
with the presentation.
Making of
Chapter 3
-
Make different
diagrams
Drafting
prototype UI
-
User friendly UI
Simple UI
Reflective Coloring
Polishing
Chapter 3
-
Refining mistakes
after checking
Presentation for
Defense
-
Add wireframe for
better understanding
Add new information
to avoid confusion.
Prototype
Finalization
-
Web
Application
Development
-
Test/show prototype
to end-user
Revise prototype if
applicable
Building of web
application
Dealt bugs, warning,
and errors
Functioning web
application
Pilot Testing
-
Web application ran
with minimal to no
errors
Finalization of
Web
Application
-
Revise coding
structures
Solved errors
Fully-working app
-
2022
May
June
July
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
39
Deployment
-
Deployed web
application to cloud
hosting server
Finish Papers
-
Finalize the thesis
paper
Thesis Final
Presentation
-
Approved final paper
presentation
Table 2. Gantt Chart of the Proposed System
3.9
Proposed System Interface
This is the over-all interface of the proposed system with its own purposes
and functionalities. The proposed system would have a page for the program
chairman to login and logout on the system. Also, the program chairman has the
ability to view subjects to be accredited or rejected given by the first part of the
project. Unique code would be given to the transferee student and the system also
has a different interface for the transferee students on their accreditation status.
The proponents would connect to the database and run a query to retrieve
the data needed—this data includes students’ basic information and subjects that
need attending. Once the data are retrieved, the data will be sorted and the
transferee student’s subjects will be sent to their respective chairmans with their
personal information.
40
User Interface (Transferee Student)
Landing Page
Landing Page (Transferee Student User Interface)
Input TOR Accreditation Tracking Number
41
Landing Page (Transferee Student User Interface)
View Realtime Accreditation Status
User Interface (Program Chairman)
Landing Page
42
Login and input credentials
Student Accreditation Page
43
Transferee Student TOR Accreditation Page (To Approve/Reject)
Transferee Student TOR Accreditation Page (Approved/Rejected)
44
Logout Panel
Figure 7. Prototype of the Proposed System
3.7 Budgeting Requirements
This paper will explore the various budgeting requirements for a thesis
project, including how to allocate resources, manage costs, and meet deadlines.
Furthermore, it will discuss the importance of financial planning and how it can
help make a successful thesis project possible.
45
Budget Items
Cost
Total
Hosting
Domain
(https://ustptrack.online/)
Website Host (Hostinger)
30GB SD Storage
(Upgradable TO 128GB)
₱1,200.00/month
Email Account
(management@ustptrack.online)
Total ₱1,200.00
Table 3. Budget Requirements of the Proposed System
In order for a successful system implementation, it is essential to ensure
that all the necessary budgeting requirements are met. With further testing, the
proponents have calculated the system live hosting to cost ₱1,200.00 per month,
inclusions were web hosting with domain, 30GB SD storage and email account.
Furthermore, it allows for the flexibility to make necessary changes and updates
to the budget without needing to incur additional costs. The intangible benefits
this system hopes to offer includes raising user satisfaction rate and better
reputation for the school brand.
46
CHAPTER 4
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
This chapter provides the results of the methods being presented in the
previous chapter and discussed in relation to the objectives of the study. The
system contains a functionality that mainly counts the aim to develop an efficient,
automated and economical system that provides email notifications and follow up
monitoring for the accreditation of subjects for transferee students. This chapter
will discuss the findings of the study and its implications for the improvement of
the accreditation process for transferee students of USTP - CDO
4.1
Design of the Student Accreditation
The proponents designed a web-based system for the transferee students
enrolling under the College of Information Technology and Computing (CITC) to
monitor their accredited subjects online. The system provides a way for students
to track the progress of their accreditation, including the date the accreditation
was approved/rejected, view the list such as course code, title, credit hours, and
other pertinent information. Additionally, the system enables the program
chairman to effectively accredit the students, allowing them to ensure that the
accreditation process is adhered to correctly.
47
4.1.1
Preliminary Requirements
4.1.1.1 Transit of Records
Transcript of Records refers to the record of the student throughout
the course of their study. TOR should contain basic information of the
student such as enrollment history, course title and its grades. The student
is required to submit a copy of their TOR from the previous school they
attended in order to proceed to the accreditation process.
Figure 8. Uploading Transcript of Record
4.1.1.2 Adding of Student
To register a student the user must enter name, contract, course,
year level, email and Transcript of Records image. The information
entered within the system is stored in the data and will be used for
enrollment.
48
Figure 9. Adding of Student
4.1.2 Data Entry
4.1.2.1 Department
The user must register a department, as departments registered
within the system will be used for the chairman registration, subject
differentiation and enrollment. The following departments stored can be
changed or be updated on the settings.
Figure 10. Adding of Department
49
4.1.2.2 Chairman
Entries required to register a chairman include the department, the
chairman name, its email and password. The following information is
required to differentiate the chairmans and to where the email is then
forwarded.
Figure 11. Adding of Chairman
4.1.2.3 Departmental Subject
Each department handles different subjects and these subjects are
registered within the system. Registering a subject requires the user to
input the department, the title of the subject, unit, course code and the
50
subject description. The system will automatically group the subject
within the department respectively.
Figure 12. Departmental Subject Adding
4.1.2.4 Enroll
Enrolling a student requires the name of the student, the number of
subjects, the subjects to be enrolled and the previous subject grade. These
data are automatically processed within the system, while email
notifications are then both sent to the transferee student and program
chairman containing the current status of the accreditation.
Figure 13. Enrolling of the Transferee Student
51
4.1.3 Process of the Subject Accreditation
4.1.3.1 Student Interface
4.1.3.1.1 Landing Page
Once the transferee student’s data has been forwarded to
the USTPTrack website, the transferee will immediately receive an
email prompt indicating that their accreditation is currently in
process and has been received by the chairman/s. The following
email notification includes details such as direct link to the
USTPTrack site and the unique code they will be using to access
the TOR accreditation.
Figure 14. Landing Page
52
4.1.3.1.2 Input Unique Code
Since the transferee has received an email prompt with
details such as direct link to the USTPTrack site and the unique
code they will be using to access the TOR accreditation. The
student must enter the correct unique code into the tab to view the
realtime accreditation status.
Figure 15. Input Unique Code
4.1.3.1.3 Input Incorrect Unique Code
To ensure the safety of the accreditation process, the
system would show a warning declaring it is an “unknown code”
whenever the student enters an incorrect unique code into the tab
to view the realtime accreditation status.
53
Figure 16. Input Incorrect Unique Code
4.1.3.1.4 View Realtime Accreditation Status
Whenever the transferee enters the correct unique code, the
student should then be redirected to view the real time status of
their TOR accreditation. The interface includes the transferee’s
details and the chairman’s remarks whether it is approved/rejected.
Figure 17. View Realtime Accreditation Status
54
4.1.3.1.5 View TOR Image
Within the interface, the student can check the details and
even view the TOR image to verify if all the data is correct.
Figure 18. View TOR Image
4.1.3.1.6 Download Accreditation Copy
Whenever the accreditation process has been completed,
the transferee can download a copy of their TOR accreditation.
Figure 19. Download Accreditation Copy
55
4.1.3.2 Program Chairman
4.1.3.2.1 Login Credentials
Once the transferee student’s data has been forwarded to
the USTPTrack website, the program chairman will immediately
receive an email prompt indicating that a new subject accreditation
has been forwarded to their respective account.
Using the credentials registered by the chairman, they can
now login on the USTPTrack site by clicking the login button on
the upper right corner, and filling out the needed email and
password in order to successfully login.
Figure 20. Login Credentials
56
4.1.3.2.2 Student Accreditation Menu
Once the program chairman has successfully logged in on
the system, they will be redirected to the student accreditation
menu,
where
the
chairman
has
an
overview
of
the
incoming/pending TOR accreditation and the completed ones. The
following accreditation is sorted based on the time and date that it
was processed and forwarded on the USTPTrack system.
Figure 21. Student Accreditation Menu
4.1.3.2.3 Student Accreditation Panel
After being redirected to the student accreditation menu,
the chairman can now start the accreditation process by clicking
the “view” button to direct to the student accreditation page. The
interface includes the student details, the subjects to be accredited
57
with the corresponding units and grades, also the clickable TOR in
order for the chairman to clearly access the student’s TOR. The
chairman has now the power to decide the verdict of the subject
accreditation by clicking either the “approve” or “reject” buttons.
Figure 22. Student Accreditation Panel
4.1.3.2.4 Approved Subject Accreditation
Once the program chairman has successfully accessed the
students’ TOR and the following details aligned to the
department’s guidelines from course code and title to the units
taken, then the subject is ready to be approved. Upon clicking the
“approve” button, a window should pop up asking to fill out the
possible course code the subject should be accredited with, may it
be the same course code with the student’s TOR or a new one that
58
fits the guidelines of the department. The chairman should input
the corresponding course code and click “save changes” to fully
approve the subject accreditation.
Figure 23. Approved Subject Accreditation
4.1.3.2.5 Approved Accreditation Remarks
Once the program chairman has clicked “save changes”,
the remarks on the student accreditation should be then marked as
“Approved”. The chairman’s verdict cannot be changed or altered,
meanwhile the following remarks should then reflect on the
student interface with an “Approved”.
.
59
Figure 24. Approved Accreditation Remarks
4.1.3.2.6 Rejected Accreditation Remarks
If the student’s subject is not similar to the department’s
guidelines either the course title or the units taken, then the subject
might be rejected. If the program chairman clicks the “Reject”
button, the remarks both on the student accreditation interface
should be then marked as “Rejected”.
Figure 25. Rejected Accreditation Remarks
60
4.1.3.2.7 Profile Panel
Aside from the accreditation proper, the chairman can
access their profile by clicking the button on the upper right
corner. On the profile panel, the chairman can update their name,
last name, email address and even their password.
Figure 26. Profile Panel
4.1.3.2.8 Logout Panel
Whenever the program chairman has finished all the
subject accreditation or simply just wants to rest a bit, they should
need to log out their accounts for safety purposes by clicking the
button on the upper right corner and click “logout” to safely log
off the USTPTrack site.
61
Figure 27. Logout Panel
4.2
Realtime Follow Up Monitoring
To provide an efficient and effective system for our transferees to track
their TOR accreditation status without the hassle of manual follow-ups, the
proponents developed a real-time follow up monitoring system and automated
email notification for the transferees regarding the TOR accreditation status. The
transferees can monitor their accreditation in real-time via a follow up monitoring
system and receive automated email notifications. They will receive email
prompts indicating the current phase of their TOR, if it has been forwarded to the
USTPTrack website, if the chairman has approved or rejected the subject, and
when all the subjects have been approved or rejected.
62
4.2.1
Transferee Student
4.2.1.1 TOR Accreditation forwarded to USTPTrack
Once the transferee student’s data has been forwarded to the
USTPTrack website, the transferee will immediately receive an email
prompt indicating that their accreditation is currently in process and has
been received by the chairman/s. The following email notification will
include details such as which site to monitor the process together with the
unique code they will be using to access the TOR accreditation, as well as
the timestamp when the email was received.
Figure 28. TOR Accreditation forwarded to USTPTrack
63
4.2.1.2 Subject Approved
Since the transferee student’s TOR accreditation has been
forwarded to the USTPTrack website, the program chairman can now
easily accredit the subject anytime, it only matters if the subject is to be
approved or rejected. Once the subject is approved by the program
chairman, the transferee will immediately receive an email notification
indicating that the subject is approved. The following email notification
will include the same details such as which site to monitor the process, the
unique code to use to access the TOR accreditation, as well as the
timestamp when the email was received.
Figure 29. Subject Approved
64
4.2.1.3 Subject Rejected
After the subject is rejected by the program chairman, the
transferee student will immediately receive an email notification
indicating that the subject is rejected. The following email notification
will include the same details such as which site to monitor the process, the
unique code to use to access the TOR accreditation, and the timestamp
when the email was received.
Figure 30. Subject Rejected
65
4.2.1.4 Fully Approved Subject Accreditation
Once all subjects are accredited by the program chairman/s, the
transferee student will immediately receive an email notification
indicating that the TOR subject accreditation has been reviewed and all
the subjects were approved, and the student can now download a copy of
their TOR accreditation. The following email notification will also include
the same details and the timestamp when the email was received.
Figure 31. Fully Approved Subject Accreditation
66
4.2.1.5 Partially Approved Subject Accreditation
When the accreditation includes approved verdicts and few
rejected subjects, the student will receive an email notification indicating
that the TOR subject accreditation has been reviewed and the
accreditation were partially approved, and the transferee can now
download a copy of their TOR accreditation. The following email
notification will also include the same details and the timestamp when the
email was received.
Figure 32. Partially Approved Subject Accreditation
67
4.2.1.6 Fully Rejected Subject Accreditation
If all the subjects were rejected by the program chairman/s, the
transferee student will immediately receive an email notification
indicating that the TOR subject accreditation has been reviewed and all
the subjects were rejected. The student is advised to visit their respective
chairman for further queries regarding the accreditation. The following
email notification will also include the same details and the timestamp
when the email was received.
Figure 33. Fully Rejected Subject Accreditation
68
4.2.2
Program Chairman
4.2.2.1 New Subject Accreditation
After the program chairman/s has signed up for their account on
the USTPTrack, they will be able to receive email notifications whenever
a new subject accreditation has been forwarded to their respective
account. The following email notification will include details such as
direct link to the USTPTrack site and the timestamp when the email was
received.
Figure 34. New Subject Accreditation
69
4.2.2.2 Subject Accreditation Reminder
Whenever
the
program
chairman/s
finished
one
single
accreditation and has still more pending students to accredit, the
chairman/s will receive an email notification indicating the number of
awaiting TOR accreditation on the USTPTrack website. The prompt will
only stop sending reminders until the very last subject accreditation.
.
Figure 35. Subject Accreditation Reminder
70
4.3
Evaluating Functionalities
In order to evaluate the functionality of the system, the researchers
conducted a usability and functionality testing through a survey questionnaire
specified to the following transferee students and program chairman under the
College of Information Technology and Computing (CITC). The researchers also
conducted a reliability test wherein the transferees and the program chairmans
were asked to compare the TOR accreditation process
before and after the
implementation of the system. The values presented on the figures shown below
are solely based on the viewpoint of the participants as recorded by the
researchers. By calculating the quotient, the proponents can measure the accuracy
of the result and determine the quality of it. The accuracy is the degree to which
the actual value has significant improvement from the expected value. By
comparing the actual value to the expected value, the researchers can determine
the accuracy of the system.
71
4.3.1
Usability Testing (Transferee Student)
Figure 36. Usability Testing Question 1
The figure above summarizes the results of the first question “The
system is well organized and considers the needs of the user.” in which the
respondents rated the usability of the system from 1 to 5, with 5 denoting
as “Strongly Agree” and 1, “Strongly Disagree”. The majority of students
indicated a high level of satisfaction with the system's use, with average
values ranging between 4 and 5. This indicates that transferee students
viewed the system as well-organized and accommodating to their
demands.
72
Figure 37. Usability Testing Question 2
The figure above summarizes the results of the second question
“The data is accurate and is running in a consistent manner during its
operation.” in which the respondents rated the usability of the system
from 1 to 5, with 5 denoting as “Strongly Agree” and 1, “Strongly
Disagree”. The majority of students indicated a high level of satisfaction
with the system's use, with average values ranging between 4 and 5. This
indicates that transferee students perceived the system to be accurate and
reliable while it was in operation.
73
Figure 38. Usability Testing Question 3
The figure above summarizes the results of the third question “The
system can provide adequate notification alerts when accreditation
information is updated.” in which the respondents rated the usability of
the system from 1 to 5, with 5 denoting as “Strongly Agree” and 1,
“Strongly Disagree”. The majority of students showed a high level of
satisfaction with the system's usability, as demonstrated by their average
scores of 5. This indicates that transferee students found the system to be
able to offer acceptable notification alerts when accreditation information
is changed.
74
Figure 39. Usability Testing Question 4
The figure above summarizes the results of the fourth question
“The system responds quickly to the action carried out by the user.” in
which the respondents rated the usability of the system from 1 to 5, with 5
denoting as “Strongly Agree” and 1, “Strongly Disagree”. The majority of
students reported a high degree of satisfaction with the system's use, with
average values ranging between 4 and 5. This indicates that transfer
students found the system to be responsive to their actions.
75
Figure 40. Usability Testing Question 5
The figure above summarizes the results of the fifth question “The
system is user friendly and easy to operate.” in which the respondents
rated the usability of the system from 1 to 5, with 5 denoting as “Strongly
Agree” and 1, “Strongly Disagree”. The majority of students indicated a
high level of satisfaction with the system's use, with average values
ranging between 4 and 5. This indicates that transfer students found the
system to be intuitive and simple to use.
76
Figure 41. Usability Testing Question 6
The figure above summarizes the results of the sixth question “The
system can provide adequate notification alerts when accreditation
information is updated.” in which the respondents rated the usability of
the system from 1 to 5, with 5 denoting as “Strongly Agree” and 1,
“Strongly Disagree”. The majority of students showed a high level of
satisfaction with the system's usability, as demonstrated by their average
scores of 5. This indicates that transfer students found the system to be
able to offer acceptable notification alerts when accreditation information
is changed.
77
Figure 42. Usability Testing Question 7
The figure above summarizes the results of the seventh question
“The system provides notifications in a timely manner when accreditation
requests are approved or denied.” in which the respondents rated the
usability of the system from 1 to 5, with 5 denoting as “Strongly Agree”
and 1, “Strongly Disagree”. The results suggested that the majority of
students were moderately satisfied with the system's usability, with
average scores between 3 and 5. This indicates that transferee students
found the system to be timely in notifying them whether their
accreditation requests were approved or declined.
78
Figure 43. Usability Testing Question 8
The figure above summarizes the results of the eighth question
“All required procedures for TOR monitoring and follow ups are accurate
and functional.” in which the respondents rated the usability of the system
from 1 to 5, with 5 denoting as “Strongly Agree” and 1, “Strongly
Disagree”. The majority of students indicated a high level of satisfaction
with the system's use, with average values ranging between 4 and 5. This
indicates that transferees found all needed procedures for TOR monitoring
and follow-ups to be accurate and operational.
79
4.3.2
Usability Testing Summary (Transferee Student)
No.
n
Usability
1
15
2
Response
1
2
The system is well organized
and considers the needs of the
user.
0%
0%
0% 46.6% 53.3% 100
(7) (8)
%
15
The data is accurate and is
running in a consistent manner
during its operation.
0%
0%
0% 33.3% 66.6% 100
(5) (10) %
15
The system responds quickly
to the action carried out by the
user.
0%
0%
0% 73.3% 26.6% 100
(11) (4)
%
4
15
It is easy to distinguish
between clickable and
non-clickable elements on the
website.
0%
0%
0% 26.6% 73.3% 100
(4) (11) %
5
15
The system is user friendly and 0%
easy to operate.
0%
0%
80% 20% 100
(12) (3)
%
0% 0%
80% 20% 100
(12) (3)
%
0%
0%
0% 100% 100
(15) %
0%
0%
40% 60% 100
(6) (9)
%
3
6
15
7
15
8
15
The system can provide
adequate notification alerts
0%
when accreditation information
is updated.
The system provides
notifications in a timely
0%
manner when accreditation
requests are approved or
denied.
All required procedures for
TOR monitoring and follow
0%
ups are accurate and
functional.
3
4
5
Table 4. Summary of the Usability Testing (Transferee Student)
Total
80
The table above summarizes the results of the usability testing
conducted among fifteen (15) transferee students of the University of
Science and Technology of Southern Philippines - Cagayan de Oro
(USTP-CDO). The survey was conducted through a Likert Scale using the
Google Forms, in which the respondents rated the usability of the system
from 1 to 5, with 5 denoting as “Strongly Agree” and 1, “Strongly
Disagree”. The results indicated that the majority of the students
expressed a strong level of satisfaction with the usability of the system,
with average scores reaching 4 to 5. This suggests that the transferee
students found the system to be user-friendly and straightforward to
navigate. This also indicates that the system was well-suited for the needs
of these students, as they were able to use it without difficulty.
Furthermore, the results of this research demonstrate that the system was
beneficial for transfer students, allowing them to access the resources and
information they needed without experiencing any confusion or
frustration.
81
4.3.3 Usability Testing (Program Chairman)
Figure 44. Usability Testing Question 1
The figure above summarizes the results of the first question “The
system is well organized and considers the needs of the user.” in which
the respondents rated the usability of the system from 1 to 5, with 5
denoting as “Strongly Agree” and 1, “Strongly Disagree”. The results
suggested that the majority of chairmen were quite satisfied with the
system's usefulness, with average scores between 4 and 5. This indicates
that the chairmen considered the system to be orderly and considerate of
user demands.
82
Figure 45. Usability Testing Question 2
The figure above summarizes the results of the second question
“The data is accurate and is running in a consistent manner during its
operation.” in which the respondents rated the usability of the system
from 1 to 5, with 5 denoting as “Strongly Agree” and 1, “Strongly
Disagree”. The results suggested that the majority of chairmen were
reasonably satisfied with the system's usability, with average scores
between 3 and 5. This indicates that the chairman's have determined the
system's data to be accurate and its operation to be consistent.
83
Figure 46. Usability Testing Question 3
The figure above summarizes the results of the third question “The
system responds quickly to the action carried out by the user.” in which
the respondents rated the usability of the system from 1 to 5, with 5
denoting as “Strongly Agree” and 1, “Strongly Disagree”. The results
suggested that the majority of chairmen were moderately satisfied with
the usability of the system, with average scores ranging from 3 to 5. This
shows that the chairmen viewed the system as well-organized and
considerate to user requirements.
84
Figure 47. Usability Testing Question 4
The figure above summarizes the results of the fourth question “It
is easy to distinguish between clickable and non-clickable elements on the
website.” in which the respondents rated the usability of the system from
1 to 5, with 5 denoting as “Strongly Agree” and 1, “Strongly Disagree”.
The results suggested that the majority of chairmen were quite satisfied
with the system's usefulness, with average scores between 4 and 5. This
indicates that the chairmans found it simple to differentiate between
clickable and non-clickable website elements.
85
Figure 48. Usability Testing Question 5
The figure above summarizes the results of the fifth question “The
system is user friendly and easy to operate.” in which the respondents
rated the usability of the system from 1 to 5, with 5 denoting as “Strongly
Agree” and 1, “Strongly Disagree”. The results indicated that the
chairman's degree of satisfaction with the system's usage was high, with
all ratings being 5. This means that the system is intuitive and simple to
use.
86
Figure 49. Usability Testing Question 6
The figure above summarizes the results of the sixth question “The
website allows program chairman to easily view and accredit the
documents needed.” in which the respondents rated the usability of the
system from 1 to 5, with 5 denoting as “Strongly Agree” and 1, “Strongly
Disagree”. The results suggested that the majority of chairmen were quite
satisfied with the system's usefulness, with average scores between 4 and
5. This means that the program chairman is able to simply inspect and
accredit the necessary documents using the system.
87
Figure 50. Usability Testing Question 7
The figure above summarizes the results of the seventh question
“The system can provide an overview of all pending requests and
completed approvals for quick reference.” in which the respondents rated
the usability of the system from 1 to 5, with 5 denoting as “Strongly
Agree” and 1, “Strongly Disagree”.The results showed that chairman
satisfaction with the system's use was high, with average scores ranging
between 4 and 5. This demonstrates that the chairmen believe the system
can give a quick-reference overview of outstanding requests and approved
requests.
88
Figure 51. Usability Testing Question 8
The figure above summarizes the results of the eighth question
“The system can provide adequate notification alerts when accreditation
information is updated.” in which the respondents rated the usability of
the system from 1 to 5, with 5 denoting as “Strongly Agree” and 1,
“Strongly Disagree”. The results suggested that the majority of chairmen
were quite satisfied with the system's usefulness, with average scores
between 4 and 5. This indicates that the chairmen found the system to be
capable of delivering acceptable notification alerts when accreditation
information is updated.
89
Figure 52. Usability Testing Question 9
The figure above summarizes the results of the ninth question
“The system provides notifications in a timely manner when accreditation
requests are approved or denied.” in which the respondents rated the
usability of the system from 1 to 5, with 5 denoting as “Strongly Agree”
and 1, “Strongly Disagree”. The results suggested that the majority of
chairmen were reasonably satisfied with the system's usability, with
average scores between 3 and 5. This indicates that the chairmen found
the system to offer timely notification when requests for accreditation are
approved or declined.
90
Figure 53. Usability Testing Question 10
The figure above summarizes the results of the tenth question “All
required procedures for TOR monitoring and follow ups are accurate and
functional.” in which the respondents rated the usability of the system
from 1 to 5, with 5 denoting as “Strongly Agree” and 1, “Strongly
Disagree”. The results suggested that the majority of chairmen expressed
a neutral level of satisfaction with the system's use, with average scores
ranging from 3 to 5. This indicates that transferees found all needed
procedures for TOR monitoring and follow-ups to be accurate and
operational.
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4.3.4
Usability Testing Summary (Program Chairman)
Response
No.
n
Usability
1
2
3
4
5
Total
1
5
The system is well organized
and considers the needs of the
user.
0%
0%
2
5
The data is accurate and is
running in a consistent manner
during its operation.
0%
0% 40% 40% 20% 100%
(2) (2) (1)
5
The system responds quickly to
the action carried out by the
user.
0%
0% 20% 40% 40% 100%
(1) (2) (2)
4
5
It is easy to distinguish between
0%
clickable and non-clickable
elements on the website.
0%
0% 80% 20% 100%
(4) (1)
5
5
The system is user friendly and
easy to operate.
0%
0%
0%
6
5
The website allows program
chairman to easily view and
accredit the documents needed.
0%
0%
0% 40% 60% 100%
(2) (3)
0%
0%
0% 40% 60% 100%
(2) (3)
0%
0%
0% 80% 20% 100%
(4) (1)
3
7
5
8
5
The system can provide an
overview of all pending
requests and completed
approvals for quick reference.
The system can provide
adequate notification alerts
when accreditation information
is updated.
0% 20% 80% 100%
(1) (4)
0% 100% 100%
(5)
92
9
5
The system provides
notifications in a timely manner 0%
when accreditation requests are
approved or denied.
10
5
All required procedures for
TOR monitoring and follow
ups are accurate and functional.
0%
0% 40% 20% 40% 100%
(2) (1) (2)
0% 40% 40% 20% 100%
(2) (2) (1)
Table 5. Summary of the Usability Testing (Program Chairman)
The table 5 displays the results of the usability testing conducted
among five (5) program chairmans of USTP-CDO. The survey was also
conducted through a Likert Scale using the Google Forms, in which the
chairmans rated the usability of the system from 1 to 5, with 5 denoting as
“Strongly Agree” and 1, “Strongly Disagree”. The results also indicated
that the majority of the chairmans expressed a strong level of satisfaction
with the usability of the system, with average scores reaching 4 to 5. This
suggests that the chairmans found the system to be user-friendly and
straightforward to navigate. Moreover, the results have shown that the
system has offered advantages for program chairmans, enabling them to
access the data and information they require without encountering any
perplexity or confusion.
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4.3.5
Functionality Testing
FUNCTIONALITY TESTING
FUNCTIONS
T1
T2
T3
T4
TOTAL
Landing Page
+ Input unique code
✓
✓
✓
✓
4
+ Login credentials
✘
✓
✓
✓
Student Realtime Accreditation Status
+ View realtime accreditation status
✘
✓
✓
✓
3
+ Reflects realtime accreditation
status
✘
✓
✓
✓
3
+ Download copy of completed
TOR
✘
✘
✓
✓
2
✓
✓
✓
✓
4
+ View completed TOR
accreditation
✓
✓
✓
✓
4
+ Accredit a TOR subject
✓
✓
✓
✓
4
+ View Profile
✘
✓
✓
✓
2
+ Logout
✓
✓
✓
✓
4
✘
✓
✓
✓
3
+ Approve Subject
✓
✓
✓
✓
4
+ Reject Subject
✘
✓
✓
✓
3
+ Input Subject Code
✘
✘
✓
✓
2
Student Accreditation Menu
+ View incoming TOR
accreditation
Student Accreditation Panel
+ View TOR
94
Profile Panel
+ Update Profile Details
✘
✓
✓
✓
2
Email Notifications
+ Transferee students receives
email notifications
✘
✓
✓
✓
3
✘
✓
✓
✓
3
+ Program chairman receives email
notifications
55/68 = 0.8088
Total:
80.88% Working
Table 6. Evaluation of the System’s Functionality
Table 6 presents the results of four (4) separate trials that were
conducted to assess the effectiveness of the system. Prior to each trial, the
codes were updated and revised to address any existing bugs and errors.
After each trial, the researchers documented any errors that were
discovered and incorporated into the next rollout of the codes. As the tests
continued, the fourth trial revealed that no bugs were present in the
system, indicating that the system was functioning properly. After tallying
the test scores across the four (4) trials, the system has garnered 55
working trials out of 68, which summarizes that the system was working
80.88% of the time, which indicates that it was working effectively. The
success rate was calculated by dividing the number of the successful
attempts by the total number of attempts.
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CHAPTER V
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
This chapter presents the conclusions and recommendations drawn from
the study conducted by the researchers. This chapter discusses the findings of the
study, the implications of the results, and the suggestions for future research. The
researcher hopes that this study would provide useful insights into the
development of an efficient and effective monitoring system for the accreditation
of subjects for transferee students of USTP - CDO.
5.1
Summary
Given the objectives, the proponents have accomplished the three (3)
goals of this study. The researchers were able to design a web-based system for
the USTP–transferee students enrolling under the CITC whereas the students
were able to monitor their accredited subjects online at ease. Moreover, the
proponents have also successfully developed a real-time follow up monitoring
system and automated email notification for the transferees regarding their TOR
accreditation status, and have successfully tested the functionality and usability of
the proposed system to the transferee students.
96
5.2
Conclusion
Given the results of the usability testing, the test showed that the majority
of the respondents expressed a "strong satisfaction" towards the usability of the
system, with average scores reaching 4 to 5. Meanwhile the functionality test also
revealed that the system was 80.88% functioning properly, with the success rate
calculated by dividing the number of the successful attempts by the total number
of attempts.
In conclusion, this study provides evidence that a monitoring system and
real time email notification can be beneficial in streamlining the process of
accreditation for transferee students. By utilizing automated email notifications
and real-time status updates, the researchers have demonstrated that this system
can improve the level of service provided to the transferees and program
chairmans. Furthermore, by making the process easier and more efficient, this
system has helped reduce the amount of time and effort needed for subject
accreditation.
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5.3
Recommendation
As the study concluded, the system is now ready for usage by transferee
students and program chairmans at the University of Science and Technology of
Southern Philippines – CDO. The users need to be aware of a few things in order
for the system to function well, according to the numerous tests that the
researchers did during the trial phase. The following are the recommendations:
a. Regularly backup data to prevent data loss in case the system goes down.
b. Upload a clear copy of TOR images, as a clear copy is necessary in order
for the chairman to verify the TOR without problems.
Based on the given conclusion, other academics working on comparable
problems may find this paper useful for future reference. As the research
progressed, a few suggestions for future investigations emerged. The following
are the recommendations:
a. Create a feature that not only delivers notifications through email, but also
by SMS.
b. Create a chatbox to maximize the project’s capability not only to monitor
the accreditation process but also communicate with the management.
c. System that would cater all the transferee accreditation procedures online.