ABSTRACT
This project was centered on Design and implementation of a web based discussion forum for computer science. The current process of student discussion is being operated in a class room and due to this procedure numerous problem are been encountered. A design was taken to computerized the manual process in order to check this problem. The problems were identified after series of interviews and examination of documents after which analysis was made and a computerized procedure recommended. This project will also suggest how to successfully implement the computerized procedure and to overcome the obstacle that would hinder the successful implementation of the system. The new system was designed using php as the server side scripting language and mysqli as the DATABASE along side with other client side scripting languages. This language was chosen because of its easy syntax and features for developing windows based discussion forum.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
This project is aimed at developing web based forum discussion for computer science student. This is a web-based platform. Any student can post topics and can reply for the other user. The user can invites others for Discussion and submit query. The Online forum as a whole contains various categories (broad subject areas), which themselves contain forums (more specific subject areas) which contain topics (threads or discussions) which are made up of individual posts (where a user writes something) (vBulletin, 2014). It is arranged in a very unique way/form i.e. From Categories to subforums, from subforums to more subforums and from these subfolders to threads, where members can start their discussions or posts.
Online discussion group also have Usergroups and Levels: Usergroups are groups of users that divide the community into manageable sections board administrators can work with. Each user can belong to several groups and each group can be assigned individual permissions. This provides an easy way for administrators to change permissions for many users at once, such as changing moderator permissions or granting users access to a private forum (phpBB, 2007). There are three major usergroups in a forum:
- Moderators: They are individuals (or groups of individuals) who look after the forums from day to day. They have the authority to edit or delete posts and lock, unlock, move, delete and split topics in the forum they moderate. Generally, moderators are present to prevent users from going off-topic or posting abusive or offensive material (phpBB, 2007). Common privileges of moderators include: deleting, merging, moving, and splitting of posts and threads, locking, renaming, stickying of threads, banning, suspending, unsuspending, unbanning, warning the members, or adding, editing, removing the polls of threads (vBulletin, 2014).
- Administrators: They are members assigned with the highest level of control over the entire board. These members can control all facets of board operation, including setting permissions, banning users, creating usergroups or moderators, etc., dependent upon the board founder and what permissions he or she has given the other administrators. They may also have full moderator capabilities in all forums, depending on the settings put forth by the board founder (phpBB, 2007). These are individuals who have been assigned to manage a forum. They can also be referred to as forum owners. There are also forums where administrators relate to each other to share their knowledge.
- Users: are individuals or members who have been given access to a forum or who have publicly registered to access the forum. These members do not have any special privileges unless otherwise given by the Forum Owner. Users can become Moderators or Administrators, if designated by the Administrator (IMS Global Learning Consortium, 2014).
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Nowadays, Student face a lot of problems and the means at which they communicate with one another to deliberate on a solution. That’s why there is need for the provision of an efficient and easy way student can actually relate with each other so as to harness the strength in teaming up while solving academic problems, Also most of the problems some students are actually facing has been solved before by someone else , so developing an online student discussion forum is actually the very solution students need as it even allows student to reach each other even from their own comfort zone , anywhere anytime.
1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The project titled “Design and implementation of a web based discussion forum for computer science” is designed using php as the server side scripting language and mysqli as the DATABASE along side with other client side scripting languages.
The project contains seven main modules.
- Category
- Post Question
- Registration
- Answer
- Discover
- Articles
- Search
Category Module: This module is the main module, by selecting the category user can post their questions easily. They can retrieve the answers for their questions from the different users.
Post Question Module: This module is mainly for the registered users. As the Administrator has to know who has posted the questions the user is registered here. These registered users alone can post their question in detailed manner.
Registration Module: This Module helps to give the detailed information about the newly entered user.
Answer Module: Each and every posted question will get the exact answer from the Discussion Forum team and also they can get a lot of answers from the different user.
Discover Module: Users can answer the questions which are posted in this site. Both registered and non registered user is benefited over this module. They can also view the answers posted in this site.
Articles Module: User can post their invention and also they can know about the ideas of the all Users.
Search Module: This module is used to search their queries , the articles and also the inventions. Both registered and non registered users can search over here
1.4 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The scope of this study is centered on designing and automated and web-based application for student online communication for computer science students. The system is strictly based on students.
1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
- Interaction will be easier.
- Users articles can be viewed by others
- Less time consuming.
1.6 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
Constraints of time and resources are the factors, which prevented the implementation of this system
1.7 DEFINITION OF TERMS/VARIABLES
Computerized: Convert to computer – based system to install or start using a computer system to organize, control, or automate something.
Processing: To deal with somebody or something according to an established procedure
Communication: Interaction between two or more person or sending of message from one place to another
Online: Connected via computer attached to or available via a central computer or computer network.
System: Set of computer components i.e. in assembly of computer Hardware, Software and peripherals functioning together.
Automation: The replacement of human workers by technology; A system in which a workplace or process has been converted to one that replaced or ministries human labour with electronic or mechanical equipment.
Web: A complex structure, or design www: computer-based network of information resources that combines text and multimedia. The information on the www can be accessing and search through the internet, a global computer network.
Database: Any collection of data organized for storage in a computer memory and designed for easy access by authorized users.
Database Update: This simply means applying and maintaining changes on a database after data must have been added, removed or modified
System Administrator: This is a person responsible for maintaining and operating a computer system.
PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor (the name is a recursive acronym) is a widely used, general-purpose scripting language that was originally designed for web development to produce dynamic web pages.: Hypertext Preprocessor is the code used to link the database to the interface of the website, it is a server code.
Apache: It is the server used for designing php, python pages.
SQL: Structured query language, it is a code used to query or insert records in a database.
MySQL is a relational database management system (RDBMS) that runs as a server providing multi-user access to a number of databases.
PhpMyAdmin: is an open source tool written in PHP intended to handle the administration of MySQL over the World Wide Web.
CSS: Cascading Style Sheet is a programming language used in the graphics and fine tuning of the website
SwishMax: It is animation software used in doing all the animations in the website.
Macromedia Dreamweaver: It is the software used in organizing the website.
Macromedia Fireworks: It is the software used to create or the graphics and images in the website.
This material content is developed to serve as a GUIDE for students to conduct academic research
DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A WEB BASED DISCUSSION FORUM FOR COMPUTER SCIENCE
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