CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Interest in the use of aptitude tests
for selecting people who wish to be admitted, educated and trained in
institutions of higher learning has gained momentum in recent years. Such tests
may be perceived to offer several advantages over traditional selection
methods. These include the assumptions that aptitude tests are objective, fair,
and provide a powerful way to identify candidates with the greatest potential
to succeed in their chosen profession irrespective of their social and
educational background or geographical location. A typical need is the
measurement of the level of performance of the students in the form of
summative assessment in aptitude tests. Traditionally, this has been met though
paper-based written examinations with their attendant problems of resource
intensive marking, subjectivity, bias etc. It is therefore not surprising that
the spotlight should be placed on objective testing to see whether this mode of
assessment can be employed in these areas associated with more complex cognitive
abilities and in addition, by employing the use of Computer-Aided Assessment
(CAA) and more interactive question types, not only to assist the process of
assessment, but to actually enhance it. This is an interesting area and one
perpetually challenged on quality grounds by both academics and external
examiners alike who judge CAA by simple issues like the number of questions in
a test, the number of factual or comprehension questions, and the
appropriateness of CAA.
In the world today, there is hardly
any institution that does not make use of the computer system to solve one
problem or the other. This is due to the advantage of speed of processing,
large volume of storage, etc. In institutions of learning, the need to apply
computers has grown due to the fact that computer and appropriate software can
provide solution that will aid the assessment of students’ tests or exams. In a
situation where there is large number of students involved, then the need to
use computerized assessment cannot be under estimated. Automating the
assessment process enables teachers to carry out their job faster and
accurately, this will consequently foster efficient academic administration and
management.
1.1
Theoretical Background
Now, with computer-based assessment,
comes the possibility of radically improving both how assessments are
implemented and the quality of the information they can deliver. But as many
states consider whether to embrace the new technologies — and as some already
have — serious concerns remain about the fairness of the new systems and the
readiness of states (and their districts and schools) to support them.
Technology is no stranger to assessment. In the middle of the last century, the
rise of multiple choice methodology for large-scale assessment was fueled
heavily by the development of high-speed scanners. More recently,
computer-adaptive models, where students are presented with questions tailored
to their ability levels, have promised to make assessment more efficient and
able to target the needs of individual students. On the hardware side, advances
in the speed, capacity, and availability of computers allow applications that
could only be imagined less than a generation ago. On the software side,
developments in database structures, simulation technologies, and artificial
intelligence models promise to dramatically improve the efficiency and
capabilities of assessment administration, scoring, and reporting. College
admissions and certification programs have led the way in using the new
computer-based technology. Aptitude test is an area of the higher education
admission screening system that computerized assessment can be implemented.
1.2
Statement of the Problem
The following problems were
identified:
- Marking
the answer sheets will be cumbersome and accompanied by many problems such
as multiple errors in the computation of results,
- Inability
to retrieve needed information based on assessment instantly. This
constitutes a serious problem to the management of student records.
- Manual
computation of assessment result is not good enough because it is time
consuming, does not provide the instant presentation of assessment reports
and results in a lot of paper work.
The solution to these problems is the
adoption of a computerized system for school assessment.
1.3 Aim and
Objectives of the study
The aim of the study is to develop and
Implement aptitude test and assessment system. The following are the objectives
of the study:
- To
design a software that will aid in the computation of student aptitude
test result.
- To
facilitate the easy storage and retrieval of student aptitude test
assessment record.
- To
replace the manual system of recording and reporting aptitude test
assessment scores of students.
1.4
Significance of the Study
The significance of the study is that
it will provide a better way of managing the aptitude test assessment record of
students. It will eliminate the stress involved in manually searching for
information of student’s assessment. The study will also serve as a useful
reference material to other researchers seeking for information pertaining the
research study.
1.5 Scope of
the Study
This study covers Design and
Implementation of aptitude test and assessment system using Akwa Ibom state
polytechnic, Ikot Osurua as a case study. Data used for the study were gathered
from the same source.
1.6
Organization of Research
This research work is organized into
five chapters.
Chapter one is concerned with the
introduction of the research study and it presents the preliminaries,
theoretical background, statement of the problem, aim and objectives of the
study, significance of the study, scope of the study, organization of the
research and definition of terms.
Chapter two focuses on the literature
review, the contributions of other scholars on the subject matter is discussed.
Chapter three is concerned with the
system analysis and design. It presents the research methodology used in the
development of the system, it analyzes the present system to identify the
problems and provides information on the advantages and disadvantages of the
proposed system. The system design is also presented in this chapter.
Chapter four presents the system
implementation and documentation, the choice of programming language, analysis
of modules, choice of programming language and system requirements for
implementation.
Chapter five focuses on the
constraints of the study, summary, conclusion and recommendations.
1.7
Definition of Terms
Assessment: A judgment about something based on
an understanding of the situation. A method of evaluating student performance
and attainment
Software: set of instructions given to the
computer to execute
Computer-based: To be dependent on the use of
computers and related software to carry out a particular task.
Computer-adaptive
Model: A pattern
showing how a manual system will be developed into a computerized system.
Artificial
Intelligence: A
branch of computer science that is focused on developing systems that mimic
human experts.
Information: The meaningful material derived from
computer data by organizing it and interpreting it in a specific way
Hardware: The equipment and devices that
make up a computer system as opposed to the programs used on it
School: A faculty, department, or
institution that offers specialized instruction in an academic subject.
DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF APTITUDE TEST AND ASSESSMENT SYSTEM
Chapters: 1 - 5
Number of Pages: 70
Price: 3000 NGN
In Stock

No comments:
Post a Comment
Add Comment