Basically, it has been observed over the years that number of students live far away from the educational institutions as well as the lecturer who are few times occupied. Thus the main objective of this research work is to develop a general purpose interactive information system where information becomes easier and feedback faster, course materials and assignments also gotten at any location regardless of the time. The student chat information system makes use of Object Oriented Analysis and Design methodology, this methodology follows the system development lifecycle. The proposed system makes use of Angular JavaScript at the front end, Node JavaScript at the back end and Mongo Db as the database. The system would benefit students and lecturers, the development of the information system will assist lecturers to keep pace with fast technology as a web based system. Student chat information system will keep the course content centralized so all students will have a single source of content in one location, no excuses of old books or last year’s material will arise. They will be increased communication and collaboration where students can exchange opinions with others and stay updated with latest news from the lecturer. In the student chat information system course contents can be distributed as easy as sending an email. Lecturers can easily combine text and videos in the system which cannot be done on paper. The system will also save cost, course materials are produced once but can be used over and over again and students can submit assignments with just one click. It has effective and responsive ways for lecturers to create, manage courses,and deliver course materials and assignments.
4.2 Interface design.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of study
Distance education emerged in response to the need of providing access to those who were not able to participate in face to face courses. It includes those programs that allow the learner and instructor to be physically apart during the learning process and maintain communication in a variety of ways. Keegan (2006). Technology has played a key role in changing the dynamics of each delivery option over the years as well as the pedagogy behind distance education, it enables learners and instructors to access education at any time and
from any place. It has been found that technology is beginning to change the way lectures are delivered and how students learn.
Shanam (2008) noted that the introduction of an interactive system will offer unique opportunities for providing solutions to many of the increased needs of our educational system today. Chat systems are most suitable for2 communication because it enables immediate conversations freeing lecturers to focus and interact with students for a closer relationship, since there is an outgrowing need for electronic accessories which will provide great necessity speed, efficiency and perfection of work.
Now, the internet represents one of the most successful examples of sustained investment and commitment to research and development of information infrastructure. Information handling has gone beyond papers and is now at the direction of personal computer.
Thus, the main objective of this project is to develop a general purpose interactive information system for a more web-centric environment, although its primary focus is not on the website design but a platform where lecturers, students and any authorized person can get all the available information like lecture notes, assignments, and so on. It will also help in making the processing of information easier and feedback faster.
Basically, it has been observed over the years that number of students live far away from the educational institutions as well as some workers who find it necessary to obtain higher education degrees, for further employment to satisfy the competitive job markets. Instead of resigning or quitting their current jobs, they prefer distance learning and also in many institutions most students find it difficult to interact with their lecturer, which makes it hard for them to unleash their potentials. So the rising tide of not getting to know more about students and lecturers occurs due to lack of student-lecturer relationship whereby most times a lecturer after delivering his/her lecture leaves the hall without minding if
the topic is been understood properly or not and the students who are not bold enough to approach the lecturer for more explanation tends to fail. Even in the aspect of submitting assignments on time too, the course representative may relay the submission date to his/her fellow students late and this may also lead to failure because most students might be unable to complete it before the deadline to this effect, a crucial need for the interactive system for courses to aid students submit assignments on time, interact with different course lecturers
directly, participate in course forums, download course materials and many other academic activities is required.
Since many of today's young students can be referred to as "digital natives", a term coined by Prensky(2001) to describe individuals who have known nothing but a digital environment since birth, surrounded by and using all the necessities of the digital age. Mostly, these students prefer to seat at their comfort zones and learn, therefore interactive systems like this can be very useful.
The key goal of every lecturer is to engage the students and an unrelated student is unlikely to excel in a course but it can be difficult to hook every student manually, consequently, with an improved interactive environment this goal can be successful. The degree of inter activity and quality education will increase because students working from a computer have more time to ponder a question before responding than they would if there were in the lecture room and also those who are timid about speaking during lectures feel freer to express
their opinions online.
1.2 Statement of Problem
The importance of interactive information systems has different impacts on instructors and students depending on how involved they are. Hence, the effect might likely produce good outcome. In order words, to find out if higher institutions should maintain adequate information system as to improve interpersonal relationship between lecturers and students some areas need to be improved.
Therefore, this research work will address the following issues:
1. Late submission of assessment work like assignments.
2. Poor Circulation of adequate information.
3. Fair relationship between lecturers and students.
1.3 Aim and Objectives
The primary aim of this research work is to design and implement a student
chat information system for communication in Cross River University of
Technology.
The Objectives of this project are:
a. To develop forums with user friendly interfaces for discussions.
b. To manage students assignments effectively to enable them access it in any location.
c. To create a platform that enables students receive course materials on time.
1.4 Significance of study
This research work would benefit students and lecturers, the development of the information system will assist lecturers to keep pace with the fast technology changing world by highlighting communication functionality and thus students can make personal use of this system to help them understand more in different courses.
1.5 Scope of study
This research work covers the design and implementation of a Student Chat Information System for enhancing distance learning in tertiary institutions. Primarily, it focuses in interaction between students and lecturers and also student academic activities like getting course materials, submitting assignments and so on.
1.6 Limitation of study
This research work is limited by the following factors:
1. Limited bandwidth- low bandwidth makes real time information transmission impractical and slow.
2. Complexity -Due to limited number of communications in some information systems conversations may become a more involved process.
3. Start-up cost- Some student may not have enough to purchase the technology needed to participate during interactive sessions and this might be very discouraging.
4. Inadequate power supply.
1.7 Chapter Layout
Chapter One: It covers the introductory parts containing the research background, the statement of the problem, scope of the problem and its limitation. The aims and objectives as well as the definitions of terms.
Chapter Two: It is the literature Review, in this segment of the research work, views and opinions of different people who have written on the related field.
Chapter Three: It focuses on the system analysis, the methodology, and problem of the existing system and the evaluation of the proposed system.
Chapter Four: It deals with the system design, input/output specification, choice of programming language and implementation.
Chapter Five: Highlights the summary of the results obtained in earlier chapters. It also shows the continuation and recommendation of the research work.
1.8 Definition of Terms
Administrator: A person responsible for managing a computer or network and has full access to the hardware.
Database: A set of related files that is created and managed by a management system (DBMS).
Education: Teaching concepts and perspectives; computer education includes
computer systems and information systems.
Interactive: The back-and-forth dialog between the user and the computer.
Interface: The set of commands, messages, images and other features allowing
communication between computer and users.
Media: It is the plural for Medium and it is commonly used with the word data.
In the in text of computers, it refers to objects on which data can be stored and the form of technology used to communicate information.
Multimedia: It is the use of computer to present concurrently, in an integrated
manner more than one medium, text, graphics, video, animation and sound.
PC (Personal Computer): A small computer designed for use by one person at
home or office.
Pedagogy: The art, science or profession of teaching.
Prototype: A demo of a new system used for clarifying information
requirements.
Technology: A systematic method of solving a given problem.
Web-Centric: The application or system that has been designed for the web.
