We use a system which connects Departments to a server hosting a 
database of students, course registrations and Programme 
registrations.  This is updated nightly from the central Student 
Record.

Not sure how much more detail you want; if you want more here is a 
brief description of functions/operation etc.

==========================================

>From this server departments run a system written in Visual Basic 
by colleagues in our Administrative Data Processing Unit.  This 
provides access to forms (screens) which allow users in a 
Department to enter marks and outcomes for the courses which are 
the responsibility of that Dept.

A similar form (screen) displays the students on a particular 
programme year with all their course registartions.  This form is 
intended to allow for the insertion of year outcomes (and notes).

That effectivly completes the basic functionality which supports the 
central University need for the data which I have outlined above.  All 
Depts are required to use the system at this level and this is the 
University mechanism for the inter-departmental transfer of marks.

It also supports the needs of Depts to provide student marks/results 
to University-level Progress Boards.  This data is eventually back-
loaded onto the central Student Record after approval/modification 
by the Progress Boards.

There is a further layer of functions which are provided so that 
Depts can enjoy facilities which make the system useful for them in 
supporting the whole department level processing.  These facilities 
largely rest upon the use of Excel spreadsheets.  These can be 
generated in place of the forms mentioned above.  The spreadsheet 
functions are then used to support (amoungst other things):

Extra columns for marks at any level of detail below the course 
mark.  Typically to provide a place to put coursework marks and 
exam marks and to combine those  with the appropriate weighting 
into the course mark.  

Ditto for questions marks.

Comments

Combining course marks into a final average/aggregate.

Generating a draft honours class

sorting into rank order

providing statistical data on teh spread, average, standard deviations 
etc, etc

etc

providing a configurable format for printing.


The system also provides facilities for the import/export of 
marks/results from/to external systems via the use of delimited files.

When the Spreadsheet is saved (to the server) a verification 
process is completed which stores the marks and results (ie 
everything which the centre requires.)  When the spreadsheet is 
next opened the list of student registrations is checked/updated so 
that the spreadsheet info in this respect is in line with the central 
record.

Departments cannot add or delete students from degree 
programmes or add/delete course registrations.  This can only be 
done during the nightly update.  (This way of working thus helps to 
increase the accuracy/completeness of the central record.)

The system ran for the first time in 1998/9 with surprisingly high 
user acceptance and some pockets of enthusiasm!  The pockets of 
unhappiness are being addressed by developments scheduled for 
March 99.  I anticipate that these will remove all well-founded 
reservations.  There will still be scope for some bells and whistles to 
be bolted on thereafter.

Currently the server is Novell 4 and a Jet (Access) database.  We 
intend to move the database to Oracle on a Unix box at some time.

I hope this is useful and would be happy to provide further 
information if you wish.

Regards

Jim Whitaker

================================
On 15 Jan 99, at 15:16, Mark Ingham wrote:

Date sent:      	Fri, 15 Jan 1999 15:16:57 +0000
Subject:        	Collection of Assessment Results
From:           	Mark Ingham <[log in to unmask]>
To:             	[log in to unmask]
Send reply to:  	[log in to unmask]

> We are currently reviewing our methods of collecting assessment results,
> and would be interested to find out whether other institutuions collect and
> input the results centrally or at department/faculty level.
> 
> Are the assessment results entered to the database via data entry or by
> using an automated method of collection.
> ****************************************************************************


*****************************************************************
* J.S.M. Whitaker                  [log in to unmask]
* IT Support Manager
* Academic Office                  Tel: 0121-414 3811 
*                            (Secretary 0121-414 3812)
* The University of Birmingham     Fax: 0121-414 6864
* Edgbaston
* Birmingham      B15 2TT
*****************************************************************


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