Android-Based NONESCOST Student

Handbook with Interactive Map

A Research Proposal
Presented to:
DR. SAMSON M. LAUSA
Northern Negros State College of Science & Technology

In Partial Fulfilment of the Subject

Methods of Research
Master in Information Technology

Presented by:
Gretchen S. Castillo
October 3, 2015
 CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

With the commitment to serve the community with excellence, the Northern Negros State
College of Science and Technology is doing its best to be at par with their operations. In the last
years, the school adopted the advancements in information technology, such as the automation of
its library system, enrolment system, the biometrics for employees log ins and outs and the unique
voting system for its Supreme Student Council.

The distribution of the student handbook to its freshmen students, a process which is
conducted every year after enrolment for the new students to be aware of the important matters
concerning the school. The handbooks are printed on paper and are distributed to every freshmen
and transferee students.

The NONESCOST student handbook is a small book that gives useful information about
the college. It covers the grading system, rules and regulations, courses and programs being
offered, enrolment requirements and others facts relevant to the institution.

There are times when the printed handbooks got lost, stolen and sometimes got drench in
rain water. For the researcher, it will be practical if students will have the student handbook on
their Android phones not only to save printing cost but also to ensure that the handbook will be
used until the students last year in the institution. We cannot deny the fact that only a small part of
the students read the handbook from start to finish, that many will disregard it once they have it so
when the time comes that they need to consult something from it, they found that it was not usable
or worst lost. With the advancement in technology where in smartphones are very common among
students and having considered the issues and concerns, the researcher was motivated to propose
the development of the Android-Based NONESCOST Handbook to be used in the college.

Objectives of the Study

This research aims to design and develop an Android based NONESCOST Handbook with
Interactive Map for the students of NONESCOST.
Specifically, the project aim to:
1. Make the Student Handbook accessible to student anytime anywhere.
2. Make navigation inside the main campus easier for students.

Scope and Limitation of the Study

Scope of the Study
The Android-Based NONESCOST Handbook application will be for the students of the
college. The project will cover the history of NONESCOST, the grading system, the regulations
and rules, and other important information regarding the Northern Negros State College of Science
and Technology. It is not just a Handbook, it also has a map of the NONESCOST and also a GPS
to locate where you are inside the school premises.
 Limitation of the Study
The limitations are that you cannot download the Android-Based NONESCOST Handbook
application and cannot activate the GPS if you do not have an internet or data connection.

Significance of the Study

This application will be beneficial for the old and new students of the college and even for
the personnel and visitors. This application assures fast access to the Handbook for the students of
NONESCOST anytime anywhere provided the application is installed in their Android phones..
This app is also eco-friendly because we don’t use papers like the normal or ordinary handbook.

The system will benefit the following stakeholders:

Newly enrolled students of NONESCOST. The application will provide students information
and knowledge about the College using their smartphones/tablets. The Interactive map will be very
useful to the new students of the college to find different locations here.

Old students of NONESCOST. It is not only for the new students but also for the old students
too because most of the old students are not yet familiar with the some of the information about
the College and if they are in doubt about rules and regulations of the college they can consult their
handbook through their Android phones/tablets.

Definition of Terms
Android. An open source operating system primarily used in mobile devices
(www.technopedia.com).

GPS. Global Positioning System. a radio navigation system that allows land, sea, and airborne
users to determine their exact location, velocity, and time 24 hours a day, in all weather conditions,
anywhere in the world (www.gis2gps.com).

Handbook. A concise manual or reference book providing specific information or instruction

about a subject or place (www.thefreedictionary.com).

NONESCOST. Northern Negros State College of Science and Technology. This acronym usually
belong to Organizations, Education schools etc. (acronymslang.com).

Researcher. A researcher is someone who conducts research, an organized and systematic

investigation into something (www.vocabolary.com).

Student. A learner who enrolled in an educational institution (en.wikipedia.org).

 CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

Mobile Learning
According to UNESCO, mobile learning involves the use of mobile technology, either
alone or in combination with other information and communication technology (ICT), to enable
learning anytime and anywhere. Learning can unfold in a variety of ways: people can use mobile
devices to access educational resources, connect with others, or create content, both inside and
outside classrooms. Mobile learning also encompasses efforts to support broad educational goals
such as the effective administration of school systems and improved communication between
schools and families. (http://www.unesco.org/new/en/unesco/themes/icts/m4ed/)

Monash University Smartphone App

Monash University smartphone app has been designed so the user can locate themselves
on a campus, then track their movement using their device, towards their destination identified on
the map. The Monash University app provides convenient access to important information and
Australian campus services in the palm of your hand.

Features include (1)eMaps of Berwick, Caulfield, Clayton, Gippsland, Parkville and

Peninsula campuses with layers of points of interest including libraries, banks, seateries, faculty
offices, lecture theatres and parking locations, (2)Staff Directory, (3)Monash News, (4)Events
guide that lists all upcoming activities on all Australian campuses, (5)Searchable unit entries from
the official University Handbook for all undergraduate and postgraduate offerings and (6)Shuttle
Bus Timetables. (http://www.monash.edu.au/news/show/pet-project-turns-into-state-of-the-art-
smartphone)app)/)

Trip Tracker Application on Android

Trip Tracker is an Android based application for travellers to obtain the geo-location and
tag it with multimedia features. This application allows users to create, store and view their trips,
trip related information and all the memories that bring with it. Trip Tracker combines places
visited, notes taken and the images captured, and display all this information on a map at the exact
location where it all took place.

This application is developed to provide the users a rich user experience by having all the
information in one place, easy-to-access and interactive. With the help of Google Maps, each trip
can be drawn out on the map with all the locations visited and the route taken. The user will also
be able to view the description, the location address and the image captured if any. Trip Tracker,
developed in Android, provides extensive flexibility, supports many features and can be among
the best travel friendly app.
(http://sdsudspace.calstate.edu/bitstream/handle/10211.10/1%0%/&reeni#asa.pd f!se'uence"1)2014
Mobile Technology
According to Baiyun Chen, Ryan Seilhamer, Luke Bennett, and Sue Bauer (2014), mobile
technology, as an integral part of students' daily lives, has changed how they communicate, gather
information, allocate time and attention, and potentially how they learn. The mobile platform's
unique capabilities — including connectivity, cameras, sensors, and GPS — have great potential
to enrich the academic experience. Learners are no longer limited to the classroom's geographical
boundaries, for example; they can now record raw observations and analyse data on location.
Furthermore, mobile technology platforms let individuals discuss issues with their colleagues or
classmates in the field. The ever-growing mobile landscape thus represents new opportunities for
learners both inside and outside the classroom. (http://er.educause.edu/articles/2015/6/students-
mobile-learning-practices-in-higher-education-a-multiyear-study)

Incorporating Technology in College Visits

According to Ryan Ryan Lytle (2012), the use of mobile and Web applications can give
students a new perspective on schools. As prospective students narrow their college lists, campus
visits can be effective in determining whether a school is a good fit. While in-person visits may be
the most beneficial way to experience college life, there are new technology options that can give
students a deeper look at colleges—whether they're on campus or not.

"Technology can enhance the college search process and a visit, but it isn't a replacement
for being personal and getting to know the students," Jefferson Blackburn-Smith, vice president
for enrollment management at Otterbein University, said via E-mail.

Some schools are integrating technology by providing mobile apps to "either create self-
guided campus tours or to enhance the existing tour by making additional information available,"
Blackburn-Smith added. While Otterbein has not incorporated mobile apps within tours, he noted
that the university currently uses social media to connect with students during visits. "We'll always
try to balance high tech with high touch."
 CHAPTER III
METHODOLOGY

This chapter presents the system development methodology used for the development of
the software. The researcher used the Modified Waterfall Model in developing the NONESCOST
Student Handbook with Integrated Map. The Modified Waterfall Model includes the different
stages such as Requirements Gathering and Analysis, System Design, Development, Testing,
Deployment of System and Maintenance. In the Requirements Gathering and analysis, the
researcher gathered information from the clients, who were the whole studentry of NONESCOST.
After gathering data, the researcher analyse the system and design by its functions. The next step
is the development phase where the researcher considered the software and hardware requirements
for the development and improvement of the system. To prove that the system worked properly,
the researcher did the testing phase, and double checked the function of each features of the
application. The system had met the standard expectation of the users until the system had been
distributed to the users. In order to maintain longer, the users must have the responsibility to take
good care of their cellular devices.

Figure 1. Modified Waterfall Approach Model

Requirements gathering and Analysis

The researcher conducted data gathering from the students from different departments in
the NONESCOST Main Campus. The students were provided some evaluation form and were
asked for some suggestion, and opinion regarding the system.

Locale
The developed application, “Android Based NONESCOST Student Handbook with
Interactive Map” will be implemented to the whole students of NONESCOST Main Campus.
NONESCOST Main Campus is the main campus among the other campuses of NORTHERN
NEGROS STATE COLLEGE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, which is located at Brgy.
Old Sagay, Sagay City, Negros Occidental.

Figure 2. Location Map of NONESCOST Main Campus

Population of the Study

The population of this study is the whole studenty of NONESCOST Main Campus. The
total population of the Main Campus is 4159. Since the total population was not manageable, the
researcher used the Slovin’s formula to calculate an appropriate sample size from a population.

Where:
n = sample size
N = population size
e = margin of error .05

Computation for
4, 159
n= 1+4, 159 (0.05)2

= 364 sample size

The population of NONESCOST Main Campus is 4, 159, the sample size is 364.
Figure 3. The Organizational Structure Chart of NONESCOST
Requirements Specifications

Figure 4. Functional Decomposition Chart of Android Based NONESCOST Student Handbook

with Interactive Map

Figure 4 showed the Functional Decomposition Chart of the Android Based NONESCOST
Student Handbook with Interactive Map. This showed the Home, Student Handbook, Interactive
Map, About the Application and the Developer.
The Android Based NONESCOST Student Handbook with Interactive Map had a
decomposition chart which was composed of a Home Page, where you can manage your account
to go back to the application to its proper main menu.
Student Handbook feature is one of the feature where you can find the contents of the whole
student handbook. The interactive map feature is for those who are not familiar in navigating the
NONESCOST Main Campus provided the user is connected to the internet. The user can track
his/her current location and can find different ways to reach his/her destination inside the Main
Campus.
About the App is where you can find the description and the purpose of this Android Based
NONESCOST Student Handbook with Interactive Map. Developer is the researcher of this
application or system.

Technical Feasibility
Android’s compatibility and links to the current Compatibility Definition Document
which has the technical requirements.

Table 1
Android’s Compatibility
Android Version Software Version
Android 4.4 Kitkat
Android 4.3, Android 4.2 and Jelly Bean
Android 4.1
 Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich
Android 3.0 Honeycomb

The developed system was not compatible to the android phones which has lower than 3.0
versions. New devices intended to be Android compatible must shift with Android 3.0 or higher.
The absolute minimum requirements for Android were originally a 200 MHz processor, 32 MB of
RAM, and 32 MB of storage.

Relevance of Technologies
Android powers hundreds of millions of mobile devices in more than 190 countries around
the world. Android gave a world-class platform for creating apps and games for Android users
everywhere, as well as market-place for distributing them instantly. As the researcher has noticed
Android mobile phone is commonly used of almost all students of Northern Negros State College
of Science and Technology as the most basic tool for their education. Smart phones are now
available in all authorized stores anywhere and it cost cheaper than it was developed at the first
time. The Android Based NONESCOST Student Handbook with Interactive Map is accessible
through Android phones and tablet making the college information available for everyone anytime
anywhere without the hustle of leafing through pages of the manual student handbooks.

Schedule Feasibility
Schedule Feasibility is defined as the probability of a project to be completed within its
scheduled time limits, by a planned due date (www.taskmanagementguide.com).

Figure 5. Gantt chart of the development of Android Based NONESCOST Student Handbook
with Interactive Map
Pert Chart
This figure showed the Program Evaluation and review Technique (PERT) a project
management tool that provides a graphical representation of a project’s timeline
(www.investopedia.com).

Figure 6. PERT chart of the development of Android Based NONESCOST Student Handbook
with Interactive Map

PERT Table
The program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT) is a project scheduling technique
to analyse and represent the task involved in completing a given project
(www.pmknowledgecenter.com).
Table 2
PERT Table of the development of Android Based NONESCOST Student Handbook with
Interactive Map

Task Name P OCD D ES EF LS LF ST

A Documentation Chapter 1-3 Yes 19 0 19 0 19 0
B Requirements Phase A Yes 13 19 32 19 32 0
C Data Flow Diagram B Yes 6 32 38 32 38 0
D Context Diagram C Yes 15 38 53 38 53 0
E Coding D Yes 8 53 61 53 61 0
F Testing E Yes 9 61 70 61 70 0
G Modification of System F Yes 4 70 74 70 74 0
H Final Testing G Yes 5 74 79 74 79 0
I User Acceptance Testing H Yes 5 79 84 79 84 0
J Documentation Chapter 4-5 I Yes 62 84 146 84 146 0
Legend:
P-Predecessors D-Duration EF-Earliest Finish
LF-Latest Finish LS-latest Start ST-Slack Time
ES-Earliest Start OCP-On Critical Path

System Budget
A budget is a quantitative expression of a plan for a defined period of time. It may
include planned sales volumes and revenues (www.google.com.ph).

Table 3
System Budget of Android Based NONESCOST Student Handbook with Interactive Map

Design and Implementation Cost Amount

Hardware Cost 15,000.00
Programmer 10,000.00
Implementation 5,000.00
Total 30,000.00
Operation and Maintenance Cost Amount
Maintenance 700.00
Total 700.00
Benefits of the System Amount
Reduce printing cost 25,000.00
Total 25,000.00

Cost and Benefit Analysis

Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA) estimates and totals up the equivalent money value of the
benefits and cost to the community of projects to establish whether they are worthwhile
(www.google.com.ph).

Table 4
Cost and Benefit Analysis

CASH FLOW YEAR YEAR YEAR

YEAR 0 YEAR 3 YEAR 5
DESCRIPTION 1 2 4
Design & Implementation
30,000
Cost
Operation & Maintenance
700 735 770 805 840
Cost
Discount Factor @ 12% 1 0.893 0.797 0.712 0.646 0.567
 Time Adjusted Cost
(adjusted cost to present 625 586 548 512 476
value)
Cumulative Time-Adjusted
30,000 30,625 31,211 31,759 32,271 32,747
Cost Over Lifetime

Benefits from the Operation

0 25,000 26,250 27,500 28,750 30,000
of the New System
Discount Factor @ 12% 1 0.893 0.797 0.712 0.646 0.567
Time Adjusted Benefits
0 22, 325 20,921 19,580 18,572 17,010
(Present value)
Cumulative Time-Adjusted
0 22, 325 43,246 62,826 81,398 98,408
Lifetime Benefits

Cumulative Lifetime-
-30,000 -19909 12,035 31,076 49,127 65,661
Adjusted Cost+Benefits
Time Adjustment Payback Period -----------------1.46 years

Return-On-Investment is a performance measure used to evaluate the efficiency of a number of

different investments (www.investopedia.com). To calculate the ROI, the formula is:

ROI = ELB – ELC * 100%

ELC

= 65,661 * 100%
32,747
ROI = 200.51%
NPV = CALB – CALC
NPV = 98,408 – 65,661
NPV = 32,747

Where:
ROI = Return-on-Investment
ELB = Estimated Lifetime Benefits
ELC = Estimated Lifetime Cost
NPV = Net Present Value
CLAB = Cumulative Adjustment Lifetime Benefits
CALC = Cumulative Adjustment Lifetime Cost
Context Diagram

A Context Diagram is a component of Functional Modelling that stands on its own as a

valuable tool (www.burgehugheswalsh.co.uk). The following is the context diagram of the
application, “Android Based NONESCOST Student Handbook with Interactive Map”.

Figure 7. Context-level Data Flow Diagram

Data Flow Diagram

A Data Flow Diagram (DFD) is a graphical representation of the “flow” of data through an
information system, modelling its process aspects (www.google.com.ph).
 Figure 8. Exploded Data Flow Diagram

System Design
System design is the process of defining the architecture, components, modules, interfaces,
and data for a system to satisfy specified requirements. System design could be seen as the
application of systems theory to product development (en.wikipedia.org).
In this phase the system had undergone several testing and thoroughly examined until the
system design is prepared. The Android Based NONESCOST Student Handbook with Interactive
Map has a system design that the students can be able to familiarize with navigating the system.
The application has a home page, where you can start to select. The interactive map feature to
track your current position and to locate your destination.

Development
The following are the system requirements of the Android Based NONESCOST Student
Handbook with Interactive Map. The developed system used the following software and hardware
requirements for the development and for the improvement of the system/application.

Software Requirements:
 HTML, CSS and JavaScript: For the design and lay-out of the application
 Apache Cordova: is a platform for building native mobile applications using HTML, CS
and JavaScript. This allows you to build mobile applications locally.
 Android SDK: The Android SDK provides you the API libraries and developer tools
necessary to build, test and debug apps for Android.
Hardware Requirements
Computer System (Laptop or Desktop) at least have the following:
 Intel i3 2.5 GHz clock speed processor (higher much better)
  4 GB RAM (Higher much bette)
 Operating System Windows XP or Windows 7 (32/64 bit)
 Smartphone device with Android OS

Programming Environment
The front end of the system was developed by using the html. A hypertext Markup symbols
or codes inserted in a file intended for display on a World Wide Web browser page. The markup
tells the Web browser how to display a Web page’s words and images for the user. The CSS, a
Cascading style sheets that are used to format the layout of Web pages. They can be used to define
text styles, table sizes, and other aspects of Web pages that previously could only be defined in a
page’s HTML, and the Apache Cordova, a platform used to convert the html, css, and java script
into APK to run into the Android phone.
The back end of the system was supported by the local storage using the java script files, a
client-side scripting language, which means the source code, processed by the client’s web rather
than on the web server.

Test Plan
The developed system entitled “Android Based NONESCOST Student Handbook with
Interactive Map”, had undergone the initial testing, final testing, and the user acceptance testing,
to test if the system developed was appropriate to the client/users. Before conducting the study,
the researcher double checked the system if it really worked properly before presenting it to the
experts who rated the system. After the form was prepared, some IT experts selected from the IT
department who had the authority and availability to rate the system.

Test Data
After the researcher conducted the study, the evaluation form gathered from all the experts
and clients who had been asked to rate the system. The ratings were then computed based on the
format given from the evaluation result form. Each ratings signified the Very Good which is the
number 5, 4 for Good, 3 for Average, 2 for Fair, and 1 for Poor. Based on the McCall Result Form,
the ratings of the expert and client were almost the same, because it fell on the good interpretation,
and it showed the total mean of 4.15 which is good.

Initial System Testing

To evaluate the system’s features, the researcher conducted initial testing of the system
using a self-made testing tool. The self-made testing tool had undergone validation based on the
criteria set forth by carter V. Goods and Douglas F. Scates to evaluate the content and format of
the software evaluation form.

Final System Testing

For the evaluation of the developed Android Based NONESCOST Student Handbook with
Interactive Map, the researcher used the McCall’s Software Quality Model.
In this phase, the developers personally set an appointment with the selected experts of
Information Technology to test whether the developed Android Based NONESCOST Student
Handbook with Interactive Map met the software criteria.
User Acceptance Testing
User acceptance testing (UAT) is the last phase of the software testing process. During
UAT, actual software users test the software t make sure it can handle required tasks in the ral-
world scenarios, according to specifications (www.technopedia.com).
After a thorough evaluation made by an expert, finally the system was ready for the user
acceptance testing to double check and to evaluate the features and functions of the developed
system. This is to ensure that intended functions and features are working properly and that the
system is functioning according to the user’s expectations.

Deployment Diagram
Model the physical aspect of an object-oriented software system. It models the run-time
configuration in a static view and visualizes the distribution of components in an application
(www.visual-paradigm.com).

Create the Creating Android project with

Development
application source code and resource file.

Build and run Build and run the application

the application in debug mood.

Debug the Debug the application using the

application Android debugging tools.
Debugging and Testing

Test the Test the application using the Android

application Testing instrumentation framework.

Prepare the application Configure, build, and test the

for release Application in release mood.

Release the Distribute the Application to users.

Publishing
application

Figure 11. Deployment Diagram of Android Based NONESCOST Student Handbook with
Interactive Map