AN ACADEMIC KNOWLEDGE SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR HIGHER EDUCATION
AFERIZA BINTI ARIFIN
A project report submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of the degree of Master of Science (Information Technology – Management)
Faculty of Computer Science and Information System Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
APRIL 2011
ii
I declare that this thesis entitled “An Academic Knowledge Support System for Higher Education” is the result of my own research except as cited in the references. The thesis has not been accepted for any degree and is not concurrently in candidate of any other degree.
Signature
:
……………………………………
Name
:
AFERIZA BINTI ARIFIN
Date
:
30 April 2011
iii
This is dedicated to my late mother, Hajjah Salamah bt Hj. Md Dali, my loving husband Selamat b Ahmed, my three wonderful children Syahirah Izzati, Aida Nazurah and Amir Zafri.
iv
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
In preparing this study, there are number of people who were contributed towards my understanding and thoughts. I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to those who have contributed in completing this thesis. First and foremost, praise and highest gratitude goes to ALLAH S.W.T. for the blessing and blissfulness for allowing me to be able to pass all the obstacles during completing this thesis. Praised be to ALLAH S.W.T., the Lord of the Worlds.
I would like to thank my husband for his encouragements and advices from time to time. This thesis could not be done without his love and support. Also, this gratitude goes to my late mother who gave inspiration for me to complete this thesis. And, not forgetting to thank my daughters and son for their supports.
I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to my supervisor Assoc. Prof. Rusni Daruis for her advice, guidance, recommendations, and helps during completing this thesis. Thank you so much. Then, thank you also goes to Puan Rozana, Puan Nik Maria and staffs of UTM SPACE for their assistance, guidance, and cooperation.
Lastly, this special gratitude and thanks goes to all my colleagues for their assistance, cooperation, and supports. And to all my other colleagues during two years course in Information Technology - Management, thanks a lot for your views and tips. May Allah bless all of you. Thank you to all for helping me either directly or indirectly in the completion of this thesis.
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ABSTRAK
Perlaksanaan sistem kualiti oleh Agensi Kualiti Malaysia (MQA) di peringkat institusi pengajian tinggi memberi impak dari segi kualiti yang lebih baik dan tersusun. Perkembangan teknologi maklumat dan komunikasi (ICT) memberi peluang kepada institusi meningkatkan mutu perkhidmatan dan produktiviti. Perlaksanaan system kualiti ini memerlukan pengurusan pengetahuan yang lebih efisien. Pengurusan pengetahuan adalah proses di mana pengetahuan termasuk pegalaman dan kemahiran yang jelas atau sebaliknya, berada dalam individuindividu di organisasi dapat dikenalpasti dan dikongsi. Tujuan kajian, yang pertama adalah untuk mempelajari dan menganalisa isu-isu semasa dan persekitaran dalam pengurusan program akademik sebuah fakulti. Kedua adalah untuk membangunkan suatu rangka kerja konseptual dari sistem sokongan pengetahuan bagi pengurusan program akademik yang akan digunakan oleh institusi pendidikan tinggi dan yang teraknir adalah untuk merancang dan mengembangkan prototaip sistem penilaian program akademik. Output utama dari projek ini adalah suatu rangka kerja konseptual bagi sistem sokongan pengetahuan akademik yang boleh digunakan di institusi pendidikan tinggi. Dengan itu, kajian ini mancadangkan satu sistem sokongan akademik diperlukan sebagai platform aplikasi untuk menyediakan pengetahuan bagi keperluan para pensyarah dan untuk membantu pihak pengurusan akademik dalam membuat keputusan. Projek skop adalah untuk mempelajari tugasan yang berkaitan dengan akademik dari segi operasi dan pengurusan dimana ianya hanya tertumpu kepada program diperingkat diploma.di UTM SPACE kampus antarabangsa UTM, Kuala Lumpur. Rangka kerja yang dicadangkan akan merangkumi peringkat operasi dan pengurusan dan pengguna sistem ialah para pensyarah, pihak pentadbiran dan operasi. Pembangunan sistem ini di harapkan dapat memberi manfaat dalam menyelesaikan masalah tenaga pengajar dan pihak pentadbir dalam penyediaan laporan kerja untuk setiap semester.
vi
ABSTRACT
Implementation of quality systems by the Malaysian Quality Agency (MQA) in the higher education institutions have an impact in terms of quality and better organized. The development of information and communication technology (ICT) provides
opportunities
for
institutions
to
improve
service
quality
and
productivity. This quality system implementation requires more efficient knowledge management. Knowledge management is the process whereby knowledge including experience and expertise whether explicit or tacit which basically resides in the individuals in the institution is organized, identified, and shared. The purpose of this study firstly is to study and analyze the current issues and environments in the academic program management of a faculty. Secondly is to develop a conceptual framework of a knowledge support system for academic program management to be used by the higher learning institutions and lastly, is to design and develop a prototype of the academic program assessment system by using UML technique and dot Net application tools. The main output of this project is a conceptual framework for an academic knowledge support system that could be used in higher learning institution. So, in this study it is suggested that an academic knowledge support system is needed as an application platform for delivering knowledge required by the academician and to support the decision making by the administration. The project scope is to study on the academic work flow in operation and management and this will only focus on the full time diploma programs offered by the UTM SPACE at UTM International Campus, Kuala Lumpur. Secondly, the framework proposed will cover both the operational and the management level and the users of the system will be the lecturers, management and oprerations. The development of this system is expected to provide benefits in solving the problem of instructors and administrators working in the preparation of reports for each semester.
vii
TABLE OF CONTENT
CHAPTER
1
2
TITLE
PAGE
DECLARATION
ii
DEDICATION
iii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
iv
ABSTRACT
v
ABSTRAK
vi
TABLE OF CONTENTS
vii
LIST OF FIGURES
xiii
LIST OF TABLES
xv
LIST OF ABBREVIATION
xvi
LIST OF APPENDICES
xvii
INTRODUCTION 1.1 Introduction
1
1.2 Problem background
2
1.3 Problem Statement
3
1.4 Project Objectives
4
1.5 The Scope
5
1.6 Importance of Project
5
1.7 Summary
6
LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Introduction
7
2.2 Literature Review Framework
8
2.3 The UTM
9
2.3.1 Assessment of Students
9
2.3.2 Outcome Base Education (OBE)
10
viii
2.3.3 Teaching and Learning Process in OBE
12
2.3.4 Academic Performance Audit Unit (APA)
14
at UTM. 2.4 The Knowledge
2.5
14
2.4.1 Knowledge Management
15
2.4.2 Knowledge as an Asset
15
2.4.2.1 Explicit Knowledge
15
2.4.2.2 Tacit Knowledge
16
2.4.2.3 The Nonaka Model
16
2.4.3 Knowledge in Organization
17
2.4.4 Knowledge Repository
18
2.4.5 Knowledge Repository and Decision Making
19
2.4.6 Knowledge Base Decision Support System
21
2.4.7 Decision Support System
22
System Development
24
2.5.1 System Development Methodology
24
2.5.2 Web Portal
25
2.5.3 Software - The DotNET
26
2.6 Case Study on Similar Concept and System
27
2.6.1 DotTeach: A Portal System for The
27
Academic enterprise
2.6.2
2.6.1.1 Context, Requirements and Design.
28
Quality Assurance in United Kingdom
31
Higher Education. A Case Study: The London Metropolitan University 2.6.3 Discussion on The Case Study
34
2.6.3.1 The DotTech Summary
34
2.6.3.2 The London Metropolitan
35
University 2.7
Conclusion
36
ix
3
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 3.1 Introduction
37
3.2 Research Design
38
3.3 Research Ttechnique
39
3.3.1 Data Collection Technique
4
40
3.3.1.1 Using Available Information
40
3.3.1.2 Discussion
41
3.3.1.3 Interview
41
3.3.1.4 Document Analysis
41
3.4 The Stages of System Development
42
3.4.1 Concept Design and Research Question
43
3.4.2 Prototyping
45
3.4.3 Product Development and Technology Transfer
45
3.5 Project Schedule – Gantt chart
45
3.6 Summary
45
ANALYSIS 4.1 Introduction
47
4.2 The Organization Analysis
48
4.2.1 School Vision
49
4.2.2 School Mission
49
4.2.3 School Philosophy
49
4.2.4 School Motto
49
4.2.5 The Computer Science Department
50
4.3 The Current System
50
4.3.1 Course Coordinator Activities Workflow
50
4.3.2 Management Activities Workflow
53
4.3.3 Academic Administrative Activities Workflow
54
4.3.4 Knowledge Repository
55
4.3.5 Decision Support System
56
x
4.3.6 The Overall Current System Workflow
57
4.4 Weakness and Problem in Existing System
60
4.5 Analysis of the Propose System
60
4.5.1 Knowledge Repository for Course Coordinator
61
Module 4.5.2
Knowledge Repository Addition to
61
Management Module 4.5.3
Knowledge Repository Addition to
62
Administrative Module 4.5.4
Integrated Environment
63
4.5.5
Configuration and Administration Tools
63
4.6 Analysis Recommendation
63
4.6.1 Framework Approach
64
4.6.2 The Propose Conceptual Framework for an
65
Academic Knowledge Support System 4.6.2.1 Course Coordinator Module
66
4.6.2.2 Management Module
67
4.6.2.3 Academic Administrator Module
67
4.6.2.4 System Administrator Module
67
4.7 Knowledge Support System for Academic Program
68
Management 4.7.1 Propose Business Process Model for an
68
Academic Assessment System 4.8 System Methodology
70
4.8.1 Hardware Requirements
70
4.8.2 Software Requirements
70
4.8.2.1 The NET – Visual Studio 4.9 Summary
72 75
xi
5
PROTOTYPE DESIGN 5.1 Introduction
76
5.2 Use Case Model
76
5.2.1 Actor
77
5.2.2 Use Case Diagram
78
5.2.3 Use Case Description
80
5.3 Sequence Diagram
82
5.4 Class Diagram
84
5.5 Database Design
84
5.6 Prototype Design
85
5.6.1 Prototype System Modules Development
86
5.6.2 Level of Document Searching
88
5.6.3 Graphic User Design: Screen and Report
88
5.7 Summary 6
7
90
ORGANIZATION STRATEGY 6.1 Introduction
91
6.2 Roll Out Strategy
92
6.3 Change Management
97
6.4 Summary
100
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION 7.1 Introduction
101
7.2 Comparison between Existing and Propose System
101
7.3 Achievement
102
7.4 Obstacles and Challenges
104
7.5 Hopes and Expectations
105
7.6 Future Enhancement
106
7.7 Summary
106
xii
REFERENCES Appendices A – C
107 109-141
xiii
LIST OF FIGURES
FIGURE NO
TITLE
PAGE
2.1
Literature Review Framework
8
2.2
The Program Educational Objectives (PEO)
11
2.3
Conceptual Framework of UTM’S OBE
12
Implementation 2.4
SECI model
16
2.5
Different types of KM and their relations
19
2.6
The DSS Decision making process (shim el at 2002)
23
2.7
Decision support system module and its purpose
24
2.8
A prototyping-based methodology
25
2.9
Teachers interface
30
2.10
Administrators view of the course outline
31
2.11
The quality management model (from managing
33
for quality - a holistic model by Jill Grinstead) 3.1
Research Operation Framework
38
3.2
Relationship between data collection, analysis
42
and prototyping building 4.1
Organization chart at college science and
48
technology, SPACEUTM 4.2
Course coordinator activity diagram: preparing
51
the course coordinator report 4.3
Course coordinator activity diagram: CRR task
52
4.4
Course Coordinator Activity Diagram: Analysis
52
Report 4.5
Management Activity Diagram: Analysis Report
53
xiv
4.6
Operation workflow in academic administration
54
Department 4.7
Implementation of the Decision Support System to
56
The Knowledge Support System 4.8
Current system workflow of the knowledge
57
support system 4.9
The relation in repository system
61
4.10
The management relation in repository system
62
4.11
The administrative relation in repository system
63
4.12
The structure of repository components with
65
system functional 4.13
Propose conceptual framework for an academic
66
knowledge support system 4.14
The academic assessment system process model
69
5.1
Actors of the academic program assessment system
77
5.2
Use Case Diagram for Course Coordinator and
79
Program Coordinator 5.3
Use case diagram for Head of Department and
79
Deputy Dean / Dean 5.4
Use Case Diagram for System Administrator
80
and Academic Administrator 5.5
The Academic Program Assessment
85
System Component 5.6
The Academic Program Assessment System features
87
6.1
System Implementation Steps
92
6.2
Change Management factors in The Academic
98
Program Assessment System
xv
LIST OF TABLE
TABLE NO .
TITLE
PAGE
2.1
Document in OBE
13
2.2
The knowledge matrix
20
3.1
Users and the questions
44
4.1
Documents and time of preparation
51
4.2
The cultural knowledge matrix to be capture and
55
organize in knowledge repository 4.3
The cultural knowledge matrix in
59
knowledge repository 4.4
Object Oriented Requirement Models
71
4.5
The Dot net
72
5.1
Actors Roles and Actions
78
5.2
Table of use case description
81
5.3
Sequence Diagram
83
6.1
Role and Responsibilities are needed to Operate
94
in the Academic Program Assessment System 6.2
The challenges in Change Management process
98
in The Academic Program Assessment System 7.1
The Comparison of existing and propose system
102
xvi
LIST OF ABBREVIATION
CRR
-
Course Review Report
PRR
-
Program Review report
AJAX
-
Asynchronous JavaScript and XML
SQL
-
Sequence Query Language
GUI
-
Graphic User Interface
HTML
-
Hypertext Markup Language
ASP
-
Active Server Page
CSS
-
Cascading Style Sheets
CST
-
College Science and Technology
APA
-
Academic Performance Audit
UML
-
Unified Modeling Language
UTM
-
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
MQA
-
Malaysia Quality Agency
OBE
-
Outcome Base Education
CQI
-
Continual Quality Improvement
PO
-
Program Outcome
CO
-
Course Outcome
PEO
-
Program Educational Objectives
PDCA
-
Plan, Do, Check, and Act
DSS
-
Decision Support System
UTM SPACE -
UTM’s School of Professional and Continuing Education
KPI
Key Performance Indicator
-
xvii
LIST OF APPENDICES
APPENDIX NO
TITLE
PAGE
A
Gantt Chart
109
B
UML DIAGRAM
112
B (a)
Use Case Description
113
B (b)
Sequence Diagram
120
B (c)
Class Diagram
126
C
Screen Design
129
D
Report Design
138
1
CHAPTER 1
PROJECT OVERVIEW
1.1
Introduction
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (Technological University of Malaysia) is the public engineering and technological university in Malaysia and is known by the abbreviation UTM. The University specializes in technical studies, with separate faculties for Education, Pure Sciences, management and Human Resources Development. The university’s objectives are to fulfill Malaysia’s national aspiration as a public university by providing quality graduates for various needs and industries as well as performing various social obligations expected by its many stakeholders and also to promote and develop academic excellence at various levels.
All higher institutions in Malaysia, public or private have to apply for the qualification award from the Malaysian Qualification Agency (MQA). The Malaysian Qualification Agency (MQA) is the single quality assurance agency in the country which supports the national agenda to make Malaysia as the preferred centre to pursue higher education. Most of the programs offered by UTM have been given accreditation by the MQA and currently in the stage of maintenance to ensure continuous quality improvement. The MQA accreditation will also serve as evidence in official resume to the public and will support part of the institution’s goal towards achieving world class standard. In order to maintain the quality standard for the
2
programs offered, UTM needs to comply with procedures provided by the MQA related to the teaching and learning activities. The compliance to the standard procedures will be done through the academic performance audit (APA) exercise by the MQA.
1.2
Problem Background
At present, the management of the academic programs in the faculties is mainly supported by the present student record system and the examination system developed by the center of information and communication technology (CICT). Before MQA come into the picture, these systems seemed to be adequate to fulfill the academic management requirements in each faculty. In the current environment, with new requirements set by the MQA for all higher education institutions, the existing student record system and the examination system can no longer fulfill the needs of the academic community. New sets of reports and documentations required by the MQA need to be produced at the end of every semester, and this creates new tasks and responsibilities on the part the lecturer. Since there is no system to automate the process, the task is done manually and it demands a lot of commitments from the lecturer in terms of time and effort. The report preparation process involves a lot of calculations, and doing it manually will make the process error prone.
There is a need for a new system to support these new requirements. Some of the reports and documentations that need to be prepared by the lecturer are such as Program Outcome, Course Outcome, Attendance, Document Mapping, Marking and Mapping Analysis, Course Work Sample and Analysis, Student EPP and Lecturer Report, Course Content, Course Review Report (CRR) and Program Review Report (PRR)
3
The new system is hoped to elevate some of the burden of lecturers in preparing the assessment documents, so that they can focus more on improving their teaching and learning. The proposed system will also benefit the program owner as well as the higher education provider.
Due to the many faculties at UTM for the both location, main campus and the international campus, this dissertation will only focus on the full time diploma programs offered by the UTM SPACE at International Campus, Kuala Lumpur. The full time diploma programs offered by UTM SPACE currently are such as Civil Engineering,
Electronic
Engineering,
Electrical
Engineering,
Mechanical
Engineering, Computer Science, Management Technology, Property Management, Architecture, Urban and Regional Planning, Quantity Surveying and Land Surveying
The MQA will perform the audit exercise regularly to ensure compliance of the programs to the set standard so as to maintain the university quality performance and this is known as Academic Performance Audit (APA) exercise.
1.3
Problem Statement
Currently, there is no proper system to assist the academic staff in producing the documents and reports required by the faculty and the university management in order to comply with the MQA requirements. Compliance to the MQA standards requires new set of reports and documentations that can only be delivered by a system that incorporates some concepts of knowledge management and decision support.
4
The proposed academic knowledge support system will benefit the academic staff and faculty management in the following area:
1.
Standardized process for academic program management by creating the central knowledge repository that will serve the academic community requirements.
2.
The incorporation of the knowledge based and decision support components for management decision making process.
3.
Help lecturers’ time management in fulfilling their many KPIs expected by the university as the system will provide a one stop center for relevant knowledge for the different tasks that they need to do.
1.4
Project Objectives
The main project objectives are:
i.
To study and analyze the current issues and environments in the academic program management of a faculty to maintain the university quality performance.
ii.
To develop a conceptual framework of a knowledge support system for academic program management to be used by the higher learning institutions.
iii.
To design and develop a prototype of the academic program assessment system by using UML technique and dot Net application tools.
5
1.5
The Scope
i.
The study will focus on the full time diploma programs offered by the UTM SPACE at UTM International Campus, Kuala Lumpur.
ii.
The framework proposed will cover both the operational and the management level for the full time diploma programs offered by UTM SPACE at UTM International Campus, Kuala Lumpur.
iii.
The users of the system will be the lecturers, program coordinator, and head of department, dean, deputy dean (academic) and deputy registrar (academic).
1.6
Importance of Project
Maintaining the MQA standard is the most important agenda to make Malaysia as a preferred centre to pursue higher education. This also serves as the evidence of quality performance in education that is offered by UTM. The university needs to perform continuous quality improvement by reviewing the quality system according to the schedules.
The process of maintaining the quality performance is among the most important matter of this study. This study is carried out by analyzing the current process and studying the relevant literatures in order to develop the appropriate framework for an academic knowledge support system suitable for a higher learning institution. The development of the framework further into design and implementation will benefit the end users, specifically the lecturers, the program coordinators, the head of departments, and the deputy dean (academic), the academic
6
registrar as well as the dean in terms of reducing the time taken in preparing the necessary reports and documentations in order to comply with the MQA requirements.
1.7
Summary
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia has to maintain its academic quality performance by submitting the appropriate reports to the Auditor of the Malaysia Quality Agency (MQA). UTM has to prepare a lot of documentation that related to the academic quality performance and it must be prepare by the academicians. The purpose of this project is to study and analyze the issues and environments of the current academic management in a university faculty and also to propose a framework appropriate for the academic environment and a prototype program assessment system will be developed.
The academician’s have very limited time to be spared for the preparation of the assessment documents which needs to be done at the end of every semester. The development of an academic knowledge support system would prove to be very beneficial and timely as such system can greatly improve the academician’s time management to fulfill their many KPIs as required by the university.