WEB-BASED ENTRANCE EXAMINATION SYSTEM

WITH COURSE RECOMMENDATION

FOR OPOL COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Chapter 1

THE PROBLEM

Introduction

Information Technology has had an incredible impact on human life in the modern era, and

the good impact they have had on human society is unprecedented (Raja & Nagasubramani, 2018).

The tremendous rise of the Internet has made radical new methods of communication possible.

While traditional means of task completion are still in use, the Internet offers distinct advantages

(Abass & Olajide, 2017). The development of web-based entrance examinations is a significant

area of application for web technology that allows a user to manipulate data quickly with

exceptional speed of performance (Iyilade &. Adekunle, 2005).

A computerized entrance examination system is a type of software that falls under the

category of information systems. It enables the university to conduct entrance examinations Commented [U1]: Add reference

quickly and with reliability. It also saves time and effort by validating and checking responses, and

it can accommodate more students at once with a lesser number of errors. This application is also

handy because it minimizes the need for paper in transactions and processes.

Opol Community College (OCC) is a member of Local Universities and Colleges (LUC) Commented [U2]: -focus on numbers
Demographics
Total program
in Region X. The school offers courses in three departments, namely Teacher Education, Business
Population now
Data last 5 years of enrollees
Administration, and Information Technology. The school’s number of examinees has increased Mention only each dep’t has qualifying scores
-like % only
dramatically during the last five years. With only 331 examinees in 2017, the number rises to 1,003 Commented [U3R2]: done

in 2021, a 303 percent growth. Every year, the number of examinees increases by an average of
33% over the previous year. This year, 2021-2022, the school has 2,213 students enrolled. The

incoming freshmen and transferees must pass the entrance examination to qualify for a specific

course. The Teacher Education department has the highest qualifying score. Out of 150 items, the

examinee must get at least 40% of the correct answers to be qualified while only 30% is needed

for the Business Administration and Information Technology department.

However, taking the entrance examination in Opol Community College for incoming

students and transferees is conventional using a paper and pen test. This means the examinee will Commented [U4]: Redundant
What are the inconveniences?
-replace paragraph 3-4
have to travel to school and wait in a long line to take the exam. Given the current state of the
Commented [U5R4]: done
COVID-19 pandemic, assembling in public areas poses a significant risk to the students' and

faculty's health. Students under the age of 18 may be prohibited from leaving their homes, and so

will be unable to take the examination face to face, depending on the protocol imposed by the

authority. In the part of the examiner, after the examination he will have to gather the answer sheet

and will check them manually. The usual time for the examiner to finish checking the result of the

weekly entrance exam takes up to days or even a week before the release of the result. This is

because of the tedious process of manual checking and the availability of the examiner since he is

also the school nurse and the only one facilitating the exam process and accommodating the

students. The examinees will have to wait that long before they can see the result and become

aware of whether they qualified for their chosen course. There are times when the enrollment has

begun but the release of exam results of the examinees is late. As a result, some students cannot

easily decide which course to enroll in.

These events encouraged the researcher to propose a solution by developing a Web-based

entrance examination system that has course recommendations intended for the incoming

freshmen and transferees of Opol Community College. The system will have features that may aid
the examiner and the examinees in a smooth and easy admission test. It may help the examiner to

facilitate the examination efficiently and get the result automatically in a short period. In addition,

the examinee may take the exam quickly and can view their result after the exam. Lastly, the

system will aim to recommend to the examinee the course they can take based on their exam result.

The proposed system aims to lighten the load of the examiner and help the examinees

decide as early as possible the course they want to take.

Statement of the Problem Commented [U6]: Why Web based? Direct to the point
-clearly state problem in terms of human, process
-view of student, facilitator, or the school
Manual administration and taking the entrance exam are inefficient and inconvenient for
Commented [U7]: Too general, be specific
the examiner, the examinee, and the school. Commented [U8R7]: done

The traditional method is costly and time and space consuming since the examiner will

have to prepare a large number of exam questionnaires and answer sheets, resulting in an excessive

amount of paperwork stored in filing cabinets. It is also a tedious task for the examiner and can

cause erroneous results to check the answer sheet manually and record the result of each examinee

individually.

Examinees' first step before qualifying in their selected courses must first pass an entrance

examination. After the exam, they will have to wait up to a week before getting the result and then

decide whether to pursue their desired course or to select another after knowing their score. As a

result, uncertain students' registration will be delayed, or worse, they may be prevented from

enrolling.

The manual method had an impact on the school as well. Aside from the cost of producing

exam questionnaires and answer sheets, essential reports needed for academic operations from the
entrance examination results and information will be manually processed and retrieved from

examinees' individual results.

Conceptual Framework Commented [U9]: Input – data to be inputted into the

system
Process – functions that will process the inputs
In this study, utilization of the Input-Process-Output (Figure 1.1) model will show the
Output – the result of each processed data

interaction of variables used in the design and the development of the Web-based Entrance Commented [U10R9]: done

Examination System.

INPUT PROCESS OUTPUT

▪ Student Information ▪ Manage Student information ▪ Student Profile

▪ Department and Course ▪ Manage Department and ▪ Department and Course

Details Course details Information

▪ Qualifying Scores ▪ Result Analytics ▪ Course Recommendation

▪ Questionnaires ▪ Manage Questionnaires ▪ Exam Questionnaires

▪ Sample Forms and ▪ Reports Generation ▪ Academic Reports

Reports

Figure 1.1 Input-Process-Output Model of Web-based Entrance Examination System with

Course Recommendation for Opol Community College

The student information is one of the initial inputs needed in the system when conducting

an entrance examination. The primary fields for creating a student profile are name, address, phone
number, strand, and preferred course. Department and course information is required, including

department name, course name, and qualifying scores in each department, which will form the

foundation of the examinee's course recommendation after the exam.

After the user and department data have been entered, a questionnaire for the examination

will be required to evaluate the prospective students. The subject, question, choices, and correct

answer will all be included in the questionnaire fields.

Various reports will be generated based on the data inputs and processes outlined above.

Such a list of examinees, qualified examinees per department, and individual examinee reports

with their corresponding scores in each subject. The examinee list will include all students who

took the entrance exam, as well as qualified examinees per department based on course

recommendation analytics. For Commission on Higher Education (CHED) requirements, the

system will also generate individual examinee reports.

Objectives of the Study

General Objective

The general objective of this study is to design and develop a Web-based Entrance

Examination System to manage the admission test of Opol Community College.

Specific Objectives

● To gather the system requirements needed for a Web-Based Entrance Examination

System.

● To analyze the requirements and design the system to meet the intended purpose of

the proposed Web-Based Entrance Examination System.

 ● To develop the Web-Based Entrance Examination System with Course

Recommendation for Opol Community College that will:

o Allow the examiner to facilitate the examination efficiently and get the result

in a short time.

o Recommend the examinee the course they can take based on the exam result.

o Generate reports needed by the institution for academic operations.

● To test and evaluate the functionality and usability of the Web-Based Entrance

Examination System.

Significance of the Study

The study tends to benefit the student, the facilitator, and the institution. The system will

provide approaches that will change the way of dealing with an admission test. Thus, will make

the work faster, easier, minimize the use of paper, be more reliable, and reduce the time

consumed during the examination process.

To the Examiner, who is in charge of administering entrance examinations, the success of

this study will reduce their workload. They would be able to reduce their paperwork with the

help of this technology. As a result, the examiner's job may become less stressful, and errors

in checking examination papers are less likely to occur.

To the Examinee, they will not have to take their admission exam using pen or pencil; they

just have to create an account and be able to use the system on a computer or their mobile

devices. Since the entrance examination will be automated, the results will be released as soon

as they finish the exam, and the recommended course will be indicated from their exam result.
 To the Institution, a computerized exam is a significant factor. They will not only be able

to accommodate a big number of students taking the exam, but they will also collect all results

in a short period. Preparations and costs of administering the examination can be lowered when

compared to manual examinations.

The study might also be a starting point for future researchers to integrate it into the

enrollment system of other Higher Education Institutions (HEIs).

Scope and Limitation Commented [U11]: Proper grouping

-scope
Course recommendation
The proposed system will allow easy registration and result presentation to the examinees
What is included
-limitation
after the examination. It will redirect the examinee to a page to see the courses they are
Commented [U12R11]: done

qualified to enroll in based on the course recommendation analytics. On the other hand, the

examiner will be allowed by the system to perform their task more quickly like creating

questionnaires or updating the existing ones. The system will also allow the examiner to view

the result of the examinees and can generate academic reports like the list of examinees with

their scores in each subject.

However, the proposed system will be limited to managing the admission test and will be

focusing on resolving the issues, challenges on exams efficiency, and will not include pre-

enrolment processes like student evaluation.

Definition of Terms

Web-based Entrance Examination System. A type of admission test that utilizes modern

technologies and the internet to provide the incoming freshmen a platform to be qualified before

being admitted to a college or department.

 Examiner. The person designated in the college or university to facilitate and monitor the

admission test.

Examinee. The person who will take the admission test. They can be either an incoming

freshman or a transferee.

Course Recommendation. The degree courses offered by each department are indicated

after the qualification of the examinee based on their exam score.

Chapter 2
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES Commented [U13]: 1. Examination Systems
2. Course Recommendation
The COVID-19 outbreak has had a significant impact on how people live now (Badrkhani, 3. Web-based exam platforms
4. Synthesis
2021). These are the times when system reinvention is needed (Sá et al., 2020). The educational Commented [U14R13]: done

system is undergoing such a major transformation, with a strong emphasis on eliminating physical

contact in favor of virtual alternatives (Rashid et al., 2020).

Examination Systems

Zulfikar et al., (2019), conducted a study to design a Computer Based Test (CBT) with

Linear Congruent Method (LCM) algorithm to randomize either the questions or the answer

choices throughout the system design phase for an entrance examination system. LCM's capacity

to randomize the question and answer of a new student entrance examination is working

effectively. It allows examiners to minimize cheating while also allowing objective, rapid, and

accurate assessment.

In Pulchowk, Nepal at the Institute of Engineering, Tribhuvan University, implemented the

RETIENAS (Real-Time Intranet Based Entrance Examination System). Before the

implementation of a fully implemented computer-based entrance examination, the university has

started with a manual system since its establishment. With the problems and challenges that arise

with the processing of their application form to the processing of the answer sheets, the university

developed an automatic answer sheet scanning and processing system, however, the application

form processing was manual. The Institute of Engineering decided to migrate into a fully automatic

computer-based system and conducted two-level entrance examinations. The first phase was

computer-based, while the second phase was semi-automatic. In comparison to the manual and

semi-automated approaches employed in the past, it was discovered that the completely automatic

computer-based entrance exam is more resilient, error-free, and efficient (Dawadi et al., 2018).

In Indonesia, a student admission system and entrance examination were developed in Setia

Bhakti Junior High School. The system was designed using the UML method and Simple Additive

Weighting (SAW) also known as the weighted sum method. Based on an analysis of the

Assessment system, it can provide reports on entrance test results as well as the ranking of grades

from prospective students, and it can also limit the usage of excessive paper and the possibility of

human error (Fransiska & Yakub, 2018).

Bitanga (2018) researched Isabela State University's computerized entrance examination

system. She stated that the system's developers were using Wetherbe's PIECES framework. Some

of the characteristics and operations of their proposed system are automatic checking, irreplaceable

scores, no retaking, secured test banks, and unchangeable reports.

The efficiency of the system-based management method in an examination is demonstrated

in the study of Agatep (2018) on Assessment of Traditional and System-based Management

Examination in Computer in AMA Computer College in Olongapo City, Philippines. He used a

questionnaire and documentary analysis as part of his descriptive-analytical process. One hundred
and twenty (120) BSCS and BSIT students took part in the study. The result supports the

superiority of the System-based Management examination of Computer Subjects over the

Traditional examination method. This indicates that under the system-based management

examination technique, there are factors that influence student-respondents in taking an

examination. The efficiency is calculated based on the system's ability to maintain consistency and

reliability.

In Jose Rizal Memorial State University-Tampilisan Campus, Patayon et al., (2017),

developed a computer-based examination system. The system is developed in preparation for the

review of the Licensure Examination for Agriculturists of their agriculture-related graduating

students. The system utilizes web scripting languages and Content Management System (CMS)

in its development. It is found that the developed system was accepted by the users because it is

highly accessible, functional, reliable, and usable.

Abass et al., (2017) presented the study on the development of a Web-based Examination

System using the Open Source Programming Model. The system was developed using the

combination of CSS, HTML, PHP, SQL, MySQL, and Dreamweaver. The researcher's

development of a Web-based examination system serves as an effective solution for evaluation

and offers more features that cannot be implemented in paper-based systems, such as real-time

data collection, management, and analysis, distributed and interactive assessment, and score

recording, to promote distance education.

In Baghdad University, Iraq, an Online Examination System was developed by Hameed &

Abdullatif, (2017) to effectively evaluate the student through an automated system. It was

developed using a client/server architecture. The client uses a web browser connected to the

internet or localhost and the server-side using PHP and MySQL. The study found that employing
an automated system produces quick and accurate findings in a short amount of time and that using

the system to evaluate students is effective.

Bobde & Chaudhari’s (2017) design of an online examination system overcomes some of

the issues encountered with manual examination systems, such as delays in result processing, filing

issues, increased risk of record loss, and difficulty in finding records. Maintenance of the system

is also a time-consuming and challenging task. The designed system proves to be efficient, quick,

and saves a lot of resource material. As the data is instantaneously transported on the cloud, the

advancement proves to assist the educational institution's authorization in maintaining the safety

and integrity of its important data such as attendance records and exam results.

Course Recommendation

Ferolin et al., (2015) developed a Web-based application to assist students in deciding

which higher education degree to pursue. This application will address issues with students who

have been dropped from colleges and universities and reassigned to other colleges and universities.

The web-based application will assist students in determining which colleges and universities offer

the courses they have suggested. The researcher applied an integrated Interest Test research design

to construct the web-based application. After a series of tests, the majority of the testers and target

users agreed that their project was usable and efficient.

Web-based Exam Platforms

Moodle (Modular Object-Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment) is a web-based

Learning Content Management System (LCMS), also known as a Course Management System

(CMS) or Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), that is built on pedagogical principles, namely a

social constructivist philosophy that makes use of the Internet's collaborative capabilities. It
enables professors to easily deliver and exchange documents, graded assignments, quizzes, and

other materials with students, as well as to develop high-quality online courses. Moodle is free

Open Source Software, which means anybody can download, use, edit, and even distribute it under

the provisions of the GNU General Public License (Al-Ajlan & Zedan, 2008).

Stankovic, J. et al., (2017) conducted a study on “Applying the Moodle Platform in Online

Student Self-Assessment” at the University of Nis, Republic of Serbia. The results of the study

demonstrate the benefits of e-learning and e-assessment, as well as the degree of satisfaction with

the Moodle platform. This type of testing is also a common practice among potential students,

according to the study's findings, and statistical analysis of the results show that formative

assessment has a substantial role in improving learning effectiveness.

A study entitled “Automatized Test Item Generation in Moodle” shows the test module

was implemented in Moodle has provided a proper user interface for generating, modifying, and

assessing AQTs (Accumulative Question Type) with several slots of various types that are used to

collect students' answers and storage options. (Raykova et al., 2014).

Relation of Current Study to Previous Work

Colleges and universities use entrance examinations to evaluate which prospective students

are qualified for a certain college or department (Raji, 2021). According to studies and literature

entitled “Computer-based Examination System for the Licensure Examination of Agriculturist”,

the conventional method of conducting entrance exams resulted in challenges and issues which

was also supported by a study on “Assessment of Traditional and System-based Management

Examination in Computer in AMA School”. The study on the “Development of Web-based

examination System using Open Source Programming Model” shows how challenges and issues
were resolved by the design and development of a computer-based exam. The proposed system's

features include the use of randomized questions or choices, automatic checking, and

unchangeable reports which are compared to the development of “RETIENAS: Real-Time Intranet

Based Entrance Examination System at Institute of Engineering”. In addition, one of the proposed

system's distinctive features is the course recommendation analytics, which will be based on the

department's qualifying score matching the examinee's exam score and was compared to a study

entitled “A Web-based Application for Assisting Students selection of Higher Education Degree”.

Thus, the proposed system will be utilizing the Moodle Learning Management System as a

platform in implementing the proposed system in comparison to the study entitled “APPLYING

THE MOODLE PLATFORM IN ONLINE STUDENT SELF-ASSESSMENT” and “Automatized

Test Item Generation in Moodle”. Despite the technical architecture utilized, the deployment of

automated entrance examination systems has assisted the institutional organizations that have

adopted these systems. This helps not just the school and its staff but also contributes to the

satisfaction of incoming freshmen students with their admissions experience.