Test Essay Example

Test Essay Online Examination System is a software solution, which allows a particular company or institute to arrange, conduct and manage examinations via an online environment. This can be done through the Internet, Intranet and/or Local Area Network environments. Some of the problems faced by manual examination systems are delays in result processing, filing poses a problem, filtering of records is not easy, The chance of loss of records is high and also record searching is difficult. Maintenance of the system is also very difficult and takes lot of time and effort.I intend to use the systems development life cycle (SDLC) which is a conceptual model used in project management that describes the stages involved in an information system development project. Microsoft Visual basic 2010 will be used to achieve the project because of its flexibility and English-Like Syntax. Microsoft SQL Server will be used as the database management system. CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION Online Examination System is a software application which allows a particular company or institute to arrange, conduct and manage any examination via online.In this module a candidate can be given online exam of a particular subject and get the results instantly through which the user can know his/her potentials and how much more effort he/she needs to put in to get better marks. Every other thing that should be included in Chapter One is with you. Arrange them Good Luck. You can call me anytime CHAPTER TWO LITERATURE REVIEW Before proceeding with the design and implementation of this project, I have studied many existing Online Examination management Systems. This study helped me a lot to know the various features of online examination management systems.The umFundi Examination System, coursewebs online exam, online examinations by deft info systems limited are some online examination management systems used worldwide. I have studied each system and noticed some special features of them which are listed as foll ows: The umFundi Examination System Features †¢ A test can be compiled with questions from different topics/libraries. †¢ A â€Å"serial number† is provided for each question according to topic, etc. †¢ The â€Å"serial number† can be used to search for and select questions. †¢ Tests can be created on a random basis per student. †¢ Specific questions can be flagged to be included/excluded in a test. The online examination system is suitable for surveys. †¢ The online examination system can automatically add the marks allocated in each question to determine the total mark for the test. †¢ Export question papers and memoranda to . txt or . doc file †¢ A time limit can be set for the test. †¢ The sequence of questions can be randomized. †¢ The distractors/options per question can be randomized. †¢ Students can navigate within a test (i. e. backwards and forwards). Can be set. Navigation tools/buttons can be selected f or a test, and these buttons can be switched on/off per question/test, e. . backward/forward buttons. †¢ Students can be forced to go through all the questions at least once, before exiting the test. †¢ Students can be allowed to exit the test before completing all the questions. †¢ After exiting a test, students can continue the test from the last question they answered. †¢ A specific date for a test to be active can be set. Comments †¢ The System does not limit the number of times a student can write a test/exam. †¢ After exiting a test, students cannot continue the test/exam from the last question they answered. Course-webs online exam Questions can be multiple choice, true/false, short answer (fill in the blank), multiple answer (checkboxes), and essay. †¢ Exams can be timed or untimed. †¢ The system can automatically create exams by randomly choosing questions from your exam question database. †¢ The system will randomly order the qu estions for each student. †¢ Exams can be turned on or off and have a date range for each exam. †¢ Multiple choice, true/false, and short answer questions are automatically graded. †¢ Detailed score report breaks down student responses by category. †¢ Students get instant results on automatically graded exams. Students and instructors get instant results via e-mail. †¢ For each question you can enter feedback that the student will get when reviewing the exam. †¢ Control review options: review correct, incorrect, both, or neither. †¢ Allow students to retake exams, limit total attempts and cap retake scores. †¢ Automatically generates a numbered certificate of completion on successfully passing an exam. You customize the certificate. †¢ The Certificate is a PDF file that can be customized in any way. †¢ Instructors can manually grade and rescore an exam if necessary. Exams are not taken through the browser, you require a plug-in. Comm ents †¢ The option of untimed examination, will give maximum chance malpractices †¢ Exams are not taken through the browser, you require a plug-in. Online examinations by deft info systems limited Features †¢ Any institute or company can register their various types of certificate/non-certificate programs and conduct an online examination for the same. †¢ Just register the programs, their fees (if paid) and the centers (where the exam will be conducted) in order to start the examination process. Questions and answers would be objective type and the format would be as per the company’s choice. †¢ User can select the company, its program, exam schedule and pay fees online in order to give his exam at the selected center. Comments †¢ It is not free, any user of this system will have to pay some amount to acquire it. †¢ It is not specific to a particular school, therefore there won’t be competition between different users of the same syst em which will not promote improvement. Some Common Features of Online Examination 1. Questions can be multiple choices, true/false, short answer (fill in the blank), multiple answers (checkboxes). . Online examination system can automatically add the marks allocated in each question to determine the total mark for the test. 3. A time limit can be set for the test. 4. The sequence of questions can be randomized. 5. Students can be allowed to exit the test before completing all the questions. 6. Result is displayed instantly Analysis of the Existing System Delta State Polytechnic, Ozoro (Case Study) still operate the manual method of test/examination writing. In the manual method, examinations are taken in the class room with proper invigilation of candidates.Organization of examination is a peculiar type of job in which so many factors of varied nature play a vital role. Its complexity increases with the increasing number of examinations during the session. The increasing number of e xaminers and examinees, the number of centers involved, available manpower for carrying out various preparations, different type of material required, co-ordination with various external agencies, financial constraints and time limitation etc are some of the major factors which have to be taken into consideration while finalizing a plan for organization of examinations.Right from the initial stage of students’ enrolment to the final stage of the declaration of result, various jobs are required to be under-taken with proper care and sophistication. Drawbacks in the Existing Examination System Examination and problems associated with it is the main centre of focus in the field of education in our country today. Publication of results also takes a very long time owing to which students remain idle for months together. Some of the drawbacks in the existing examination system are as follows: Students from different areas have to visit university for every query regarding filling u p of application forms, examination date, results and syllabus etc are collected by the student personally, thus wasting his/her precious time and money. †¢ Students have to wait in long queues to take examination forms, deposit examination fee and to get know the status of their results. Even sometimes, they cannot take admission in higher studies outside the state. †¢ The manual examination system leads to errors, more time consumption, inefficient and wastage of valuable resources. There is repetition of work in the existing system, the same data is written again and again by different branches. †¢ In existing system, managing of student’s record is very tedious. Searching of students’ records in manual registers, maintaining of records and reconciliation etc. are very time consuming. †¢ In manual examination system, there is no check on the secrecy and tempering of students records. Sometime fake degrees are prepared thus degrading the image of university. In existing system whole data of students are stored in papers, registers, as record is increasing yearly, the registers are piling up and sometimes we may see the staff sitting on these registers. Advantages of the existing system †¢ Manual Exams are invigilated, thus minimizing malpractices to an extent. †¢ All types of questions can be asked in a manual examination. E. g. Multichoice, essays, questions and answers with diagrammatic illustrations e. t. c. System Methodology Spiral Methodology The spiral methodology extends the waterfall model by introducing prototyping.It is generally chosen over the waterfall approach for large, expensive, and complicated projects. At a high-level, the steps in the spiral model are as follows: 1. The new system requirements are defined in as much detail as possible. This usually involves interviewing a number of users representing all the external or internal users and other aspects of the existing system. 2. A preliminary d esign is created for the new system. 3. A first prototype of the new system is constructed from the preliminary design. This is usually a scaled-down system, and represents an approximation of the characteristics of the final product. . A second prototype is evolved using four steps: 1. Evaluate the first prototype and identify its strengths, weaknesses, and risks. 2. Define the requirements of the second prototype. 3. Plan and design the second prototype. 4. Construct and test the second prototype. 5. At the project sponsors option, the entire project can be aborted if the risk is deemed too great. Risk factors might involve development cost overruns, operating-cost miscalculation, or any other factor that could result in a less-than-satisfactory final product. 6.The existing prototype is evaluated in the same manner as was the previous prototype, and, if necessary, another prototype is developed from it according to the fourfold procedure outlined above. 7. The preceding steps are iterated until the customer is satisfied that the refined prototype represents the final product desired. 8. The final system is constructed, based on the refined prototype. 9. The final system is thoroughly evaluated and tested. Routine maintenance is carried out on a continuing basis to prevent large-scale failures and to minimize downtime.Reasons for using spiral methodology †¢ Estimates (i. e. budget, schedule, etc. ) get more realistic as work progresses, because important issues are discovered earlier. †¢ It is more able to cope with the (nearly inevitable) changes that software development generally entails. †¢ Software engineers (who can get restless with protracted design processes) can get their hands in and start working on a project earlier. The Proposed System To solve the problems faced with manual examination writing, there is need for a computerized system to handle all the works.I propose a web based application that will provide a working environmen t that will be flexible and will provide ease of work and will reduce the time for report generation and other paper works. These examinations are conducted as open-book or open table type examinations. Candidate is given a limited time to answer the questions and after the time expiry the answer paper is disabled automatically and answers is sent to the examiner. The examiner will evaluate answers, either through automated process or manually and the results will be sent to the candidate through email or made available in the web site.Today many organizations are conducting online examinations worldwide successfully and issue results online. The main advantage is that it can be conducted for remote candidates and evaluation of answers can be fully automated for all questions and other essay type questions can be evaluated manually or through automated system, depending on the nature of the question’s and the requirements. Also online examinations can be conducted at any time and does not incur higher cost as traditional exam scenario as there is no paper work involved (e. g. printing exam papers, prepare paper admissions etc. , there is no invigilators, also no need of arrangement of exam centers. When comparing with traditional exam scenario the cost for an online examination will be almost zero after the online exam system is establishment and if maintenance cost is not considered. The volume of examination work has necessitated the use of computer services. Various jobs such as checking up of examination application forms, allotment of roll numbers, preparation of roll lists, tabulation of marks and formulation of marks sheets are preferred to be got done by computer.Looking into the ever growing complex nature of examination process and also to cope with the situation, it is deemed fit to apply modern management techniques and adopt a system approach. In the era of Information Technology, there is hardly any department which is not adopting this te chnology. To bring, efficiency, transparency and reliability, universities should also adopt this new technology for managing the examination system. Some of the benefits of integrated automated examination system are defined as under. Advantages of the Proposed System Total Computerization of system will facilitate an integration of all sections/units/departments of the Examination Wing under single umbrella. †¢ It will improve the efficiency of the workforce who in turn carries out many operations manually. †¢ The new system will streamline the procedure for collation of exam fees, issuing receipts to large number of students and keeping a track of cash flow. †¢ With the adoption of new system, there will centralized, secure and robust database of the candidates appearing in the examination without duplication of records. In a networked environment system different units of the examination wing are connected so that all these are able to share up-to-date information without redundancy of database at various stages. †¢ It will bring improvement in quality of services being provided to the students/concerned departments/sections by introducing computerized window system and online availability of information to the concerned departments/sections of the University. †¢ There will be less human intervention (as much as possible) in result processing by automating all the concerned activities. The complete Computerization of Examination System will lead to effective monitoring of Examination Process by the concerned authorities (the possibility of fraudulence will be minimized). †¢ The Computerized Statistical Analysis of Data will facilitate the management to see trends in result at various levels. Management Information System (MIS) reports will facilitates the Top †¢ Level Management to make strategic decision in favor of University and students. The use of Relational Database Management System for storage of students’ data will help in minimizing the redundancy in database in addition to maintains consistency, integrity and security of data. †¢ Once the students’ data is in database form, lots of academic benefits can be drawn in terms of the statistical analysis of the results belonging to different faculties, courses, social groups, colleges (private/government) and different area of the state and the country. Disadvantages of the Proposed System Changing technology may create barriers to accessing examination environments as with new examination methods, online learning/examination has faced much criticism from many sources as they claim it has devalued post secondary education and will reduce the effectiveness of obtaining quality career positions by obtaining higher education. These skeptics claim many existing barriers to effectively writing complex exam in an online-only setting. †¢ There is need for stakeholders (i. e. both examiner and examinee) to be computer literate a nd good users of the internet. Invigilators do not have control over candidates. This could lead to some malpractices. Though, there are measures to limit the malpractices(Timing is one of the means) Justification of the proposed Study In feasibility study phase I had undergone through various steps, which are described asunder: How feasible is the system proposed? This was analyzed by comparing the following factors with both the existing system and proposed system. Cost The cost required in the proposed system is comparatively less to the existing system. EffortCompared to the existing system the proposed system will provide a better working environment in which there will be ease of work and the effort required will be comparatively less than the existing system. Time Also the time required generating a report or for doing any other work will be comparatively very less than the existing system. Record finding and updating will take less time than the existing system. Labor In the existing system the number of staff required for completing the work is more while the new system will require quite less number of staff.