Design and Development of a Data Ware-House for School Information System Case Study of Heritage International School

ABSTRACT 

Data warehousing and business intelligence are key enablers in the drive to harness management information and improve decision-making. They underpin the recent wave of interest in data mining and customer relationship management, and create opportunities for performance improvements based on quantitative analysis at every le-vel in an organization. Data warehousing is a relatively new field in information technology, and current research centers primarily on data warehousing in business eri,-ironments. As new as the field is in these environments, only recently have educational institutions begun to embark on data warehousing projects, and little research has been done regarding the special considerations and characteristics of School Information System and the complexity of analyzing such data. Educational institutions measure success very differently from business-oriented organizations and the analyses that are meaningful in such environments pose unique and intricate problems in data warehousing. Herit.age International School maintains database comprising of a number of files of school data. This is international school that has. links to other international schools in the same category. There is need to design and develop school database that should accommodate past data as well as capture present data in order to build data warehouse. According.to the school administrator, the present school Data Warehouse is not sufficient, well structured to handle: data, it gives poor quality information, lacks consistency, and above all it is• not easy to access. This research describes the process of developing a data warehouse for Heritage Internacional School, focusing on issues specific to School Information system and the general objective of this study is to examine the factors in the development and design of a Data Warehouse for a school Information System. Interviews, questionnaires and observations will be used to collect the required information for the Data Warehouse.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Cover page ............................................................................................ i

Approval : ...... · ....................................................................................... ii

Declaration ..................................................................................... : ..... iii

Dedication ........................................................................................... .iv

List of figures ....................... -................................................................. v

List of tables .......................................................................................... vi

Acrony1ns ........................................................................................ .' ... vii

CHAPTER ONE

1.1.0 ·Background ................................................................................... 2

1.1.1 Problem statement ........................................................................... 4

1.1.2 General Objective ..................................................................... · ..... .4.

1.1.3 Specific Objectives ........................................................................ .4

1.1.4 Significance of the study .................................................................. .4

1. 1.5 Scope of the study ........ ; ................................................................. .4

CHAPTER TWO

Literature Review .................................................................................... 5

2.0 What is a Data Warehouse ....................... : .............................................. 5

2.1.1 Advantages and disadvantages to using a Data Warehouse ............................. 9

2.1.2 How to manage current and historical information within your Data Warehouse .............................................................................. 11

2.1.3 Understanding the challenges of using Data Warehouses .............................. 11

2.1.4 Data Warehouse (D W) Database and Online Transaction Processing ( 0 L TP) ...... 12

2.1.5 How to protect your Data Warehouse ................................................. ~ ... 13

2.1.6 Objectives of a Data warehouse and Data flow .......................................... 15

2. 1. 7 Moqeling Multidimensionality ............................................................ 16

2.1.8 School Information System ................................................................ 17

2.1.9 Why need SIS? .............................................................................. 19

2.2.0 More information on school. Information system ....................................... 19

2.1.1 ·Data Warehousing Integrates School Information Systems ... : ........................ 20

2.1.2 Data Models for Data Warehouse ......................................................... .20

2.1.4 The Methods for designing Data Warehouse Architecture ............................ 21

2.2.5 The Bottom-Up Approach .................................................................. 22

2.2.6 The Top-Down Approach .................................................................. 23

CHAPTER THREE

Research Methodology ................................................................ : ............ 20

3.1.0 · Research Instruments ...................................................................... 25

3 .1.2 Developing a Survey ..................................................................... .25

3.1.2 Study area .................................................................................... 26

3 .1.3 Procedure of the study ....................................................................... 26

3.1.4 Data collection methods .................................................................... 26

CHAPTER FOUR

System Analysis and Design ....................................................................... 27

4.1.0 Description of the Current System .............................................. : ......... .27

4.1.2 Strengths of the current system ............................................................ 27

4.1.3 Weakness of the cmTent system .......................................................... 27

4.1.4 P?ssible solutions to the problems of the current system ............................... 28

4.1.5 The proposed system ........................................................................ 28

4.1.6 Requirements of the proposed system .................................................... .29

4.1 . 7 Systen1 Design ................................................................................ 29 ·

4.1.8 Physical design ............................................................................... 30

4.1.9 Database .......................................................................... : ............ 33

4.2.0 An entity-relationship (ER) diagram ...................................................... 35

4.2.1 Designing the Star Schema ............................................................. , .. 37

CHAPTER FIVE

. System Implementation and l _ . / .: .... : ........................................... .40

5.1.0 Program Implementation ................................................................. .40

5.1.2 Features of the new system ................................................................ .40

5.1. 3 Program Testing ............................................................................ .41

5.1.4 Sample Testing for SIS 1 .................................................................. .42

5.1.5 Program Flow Chart ........ : ................................................... '. ........... .42

5.1.6 Implementation .............................................................................. .44

5 .1. 7 Change over methods ....................................................................... .44

5.1.8 User Manual .................................................................................. 44

5.1.9 System Evall.i.ation .......................................................................... .45

5.2.0 Security requirements ....................................................................... .45

CHAPTER SIX

Discussion, Conclusions and Recommendation ............................ , ......... .46 ·

6.1.0 Top-Down vs. Bottom-Up Method ....................................................... .46

6 .. 1.1 School Information System-Specific Issues ................................ '. ........... .4 7

6.1. 2 Lessons Learned .................................................................. : .......... 47

6.1.3 Future Recommendation ................................................................... .48

6 .13 Future Recommendation ................................................................... .48

BIBLIOGRAPHY ............................................................................ .49

APPENDIIES ................................................................................... 51

Appendix A: questionnaire ................................................................... ; .... 54.

Appendix B: Data Warehouse Evaluation Questionnaire .................................... 54

Appendix C: script to determine the records of the table ...................................... 56