ABSTRACT:
With the advent of mobile network communication system, users have been offered lots of services such as ability to send multimedia messages like SMS, Video, Data files, Images etc. This paper describes the design and implementation of a system (Result Alert System) that conveniently provides examination results to students with the use of Email and SMS technology via their Mobile phones and devices.
Mobile phones and devices are necessary assets, most especially to students as it makes communication and the spread of information a lot easier.
Result Alert System takes advantage of some of the technologies that Mobile devices provide, technologies such as the Email and Short Message Service (SMS). The implemented system allows registered students to access their results, including past results, provided they are available in the system’s database.
OVERVIEW OF THE EXISTING WORK
Most Institutions make use of a web based platform to provide Examination results to their students when it is available; this is a common practice by various Universities. The students provide certain information before they are able to access their results as this provides protection from unauthorized access.
Web based platforms (websites) are readily available platforms and can provide various options such as saving and printing. But this platform becomes inaccessible if the user has no access to the internet. Web based Result Alert System is a good options in a country where internet is readily available, but in a country where internet services are poor, it can be inconvenient and expensive. Students would have to visit a cyber café and pay to gain access to their results.
METHODOLOGY
The result alert system with email and SMS was designed to work as an online application or software. The system was designed to have a point of Entry which is to be used by the Administrator with the login privilege and role granted.
The Administrator is responsible for the following: registration of students, result upload for registered students and generating alert reports to all concerned students when new result updates are available. These alerts would be sent to the phone number the student provided at the point of registration.
This system was designed using the following: PHP programming language, PHP designer, Javascript, Css.
SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE
The diagram in Figure 1 shows the system architecture of the proposed system. Student initiates the examination results retrieval process by sending SMS to the specific number provided by the system.
The required information to be written in request SMS are Full name, Matric number, department, semester and session. These information are set as requirements for request SMS in order to suit with the institution’s regulations. This information together with the sender’s mobile phone number are then sent to the GSM modem via GSM network.
Fig 1: System Architecturre.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Figure 2 shows the screen shot of where the user (student) can provide his or her unique identifier in order to gain access to his or her results.
Request Result Form.
CONCLUSION
Result Alert System with Email and SMS is an innovative addition to the education sector, as it makes the availability of results and grades a lot easier and efficient. Also it makes Email and SMS technology relevant in Educational sector.
Source: Bells University of Technology
Authors: Olusanya Olamide.O | Onazi Ogaba