The History About The Education Institution

Published Date: 02 Nov 2017

Educational Institution is a term used to describe institutions dedicated to education. It covers early education institutions such as kindergarten and elementary school, going all the way to the higher education offered in colleges and universities. A high school is also an educational institution. The question "what is an educational institution?" can be easily answered with this simple definition: an establishment dedicated to educating people. Basically, we have all followed the studies of at least one educational institution during our life.

Educational institutions can be divided into categories based on the age of their students. Early childhood education is usually intended for kids younger than 7. This includes kindergarten and other forms of preschool institutions. Primary education includes the primary school or elementary school, as well as a middle school or, in some countries, gymnasium. Secondary education includes high school. Higher education includes undergraduate, master and doctoral studies in a university. For example, Harvard is the oldest higher education institution in the United States.

Education, 2011, Organization founded and dedicated to education.

[Online] Available at: <http://www.educationalinstitution.org/>

[Accessed 14 November 2012]

You are supposed to analyze an Educational Institute which are already using information systems to handle their business processes. Gather information using requirement gathering methods such as interviews, observations, questioners, document reviews, web site visits, etc and produce a report with academically accepted report guidelines.

Acknowledgement

Over the past few months when I started to engage and commit myself to higher education, there were many characters and individuals who deserve a note of thanks. It includes family, friends, office colleagues and lectures and back end or support staff from ICBT.

For the assignment Information Systems, a special vote of thanks goes to Ms. Ruwanthi Perera, the lecturer from ICBT for the dedication, commitment and guidance.

A special gratitude to Mr. Gayan Wickramasinghe from The Institute of Charted Accountants of Sri Lanka for supporting me on the assignment requirement from his busy schedule.

Executive Summery

The assignment given is given to students to select any education institution and explain the findings in align with information system. Students are suppose to use information gathering techniques such as interviews, observations, questioners, document reviews, web site visits, etc in order to achieve given tasks.

It was quite challenging in the first place to choose an education institution, where all educational institutions were closed for Christmas holidays. However I was fortunate enough to find The Institute of Charted Accountancy of Sri Lanka (ICAS) from Google and move along from there. The first approach to get information was to download the Annual Report 2011 and while going through the report I found the key person to interact with "Mr. Gayan Wickramasinghe – Chief Information Technology Officer". He did agree to support me with the assignment with one condition due to his busy schedule. The condition was to support me only over the phone/e-mail and the time given was from 7:00 PM to 7:30PM for only 3 days. The time given was sufficient enough and I did plan the requirement gathering based on the condition.

Throughout the assignment, I will be focusing on the functional areas, information needs of each functional area, information system available and with features of the ICAS, benchmarking the selected institute with other educational institutions. Finally I have explained the evaluating techniques and have evaluated the report generated by the information system of the selected institution.

Assignment task

4.1. Task 1 – Organizations have different functional areas. Explain the functions of different functional areas of the selected Educational Institute. Identify and evaluate the information needs of them. (LO 1.1)

Introduction about the selected organization

I have selected The Institute of Charted Accountants of Sri Lanka (ICAS). It’s one of the largest tertiary education providers having a student base over 36,000 and 4,300 professional members locally and globally. The focus of the institute is to provide insight and leadership to the accountancy and financial professionals.

Figure – Organization Chart

Functions of each Functional Areas in an Organization

Human Resource

A generic Human Resource department carries out following job scope also known as functions. Also from below, I’ll be explaining the most important functions which depend on information to carry out their day to day activities.

Recruitment and Selection

An organization success depends on the quality and the knowledge of the workforce. Thereby, selecting the right person and recruiting them is important element of all. It’s not all about hiring new people. When a job opens, within the organization there can be candidates who are suitable within the organization. Through proper information systems, the HR can find and locate the right fitting person according the knowledge they bare vs. the required qualification. Many organization first priorities internal candidates and then look for alternatives externally.

Job Analysis and Description

Also HR defines the job scope of any job function. By a job analysis, the HR will run through a process where they collect information from duties and responsibilities to necessary skills and work experience.

Determining Salary, perks and wages

Determining salaries perks and wages are dependent on the candidate’s capability, experience and knowledge. Not all employees within the same grade are given with the same package. Also many organizations must follow the market conditions where other competitors pay for the same job function within the same industry. In order to have a strike balance, HR seeks information on market research vs. the selected candidate’s capabilities.

Performance Appraisal

Performance appraisals are used to monitor and review the performance of all employees regularly within the organization. It’s a process of analyzing and recording information’s on relative worth of an employee.

Training and Development

In order to maintain the quality of the workforce and improve the efficiency, HR must keep a close track on all employees’ knowledge. If a specific job task needs specialized knowledge, the HR must identify and allocate training for the employee. In order to identify the requirement, they will need information of knowledge vs. the job requirement.

Labor Management

Implementation of Ethics and Compliance

Dismissal and Redundancy

Addressing employee’s grievance

Finance and Accounts

The core of any profitable organization is the financial status. Strong cash hold means the organization is sustainable. This is where Finance and Accounts comes into action. They need to manage the entire organization cash flow while managing the debts and credits. In order to manage debts and credits, the finance and accounts team depends on proper information. For instance, if payments are due from students, they need to convince the students and collect the dues in order to keep the organization running.

Sales and Marketing

Throughout any organization, this is the only profit center. The rest of the departments are cost centers. Meaning, the sales are the once who make new businesses by generating new revenue streams while convince customers to come buy their product. Thereby, they have a budget where the organization predefines, a target sale. In order to make the target, they rely on information from previous year’s performance, market conditions, constrains etc. To get through to this information; they need to relay on information systems internally and externally and the success of new sales depends on accurate and complete information used through proper marketing strategy.

Administration

Administration is a support service to all functional areas. They will produce resources from stationary to office premises and even logistics to all functional areas. This is one of the largest cost centers within the institute while spends a tremendous amount of deal and money in order to carry out the business. Thereby, recording the expense and managing the limited resources are crucial and it needs proper information systems to control them.

IT

Information Technology department is where they provide the foundation of computer systems to all functional area. The meaning of computer system denotes to hardware, software and other peripheral devices. They provide support to all employees on technical difficulties/faults and implementation of new systems and enhancements. Having proper information systems to handle the technical difficulties and managing them are important though it’s not available in the institution.

Academic Department

Within the institution, Academic Department is the unique entity which separates the institution from other industry. Thereby, it’s obvious that it’s the operational level entity within the institute. It interacts with students day by day. They have a strong relationship with the students and answerable to parents if questioned. Thereby, it the academic department needs to have information of all students and need to have proper evaluation recorded under a student entity.

Information Needs in each functional area

Functional Area

Information Needs

Human Resource

Employee Details

Employee Qualifications and Experience

Salary Details

Financial Transactions

Budget Allocations

Market Research

Staff Benefit Details

Finance and Accounts

Entire financial transactions of the business

Overall cash flow of the business

Student Information

Accruals vs. Budget Allocations

Student Payments, Dues, Late payment

Sales and Marketing

Market Research

Details of Competition

Vendor Details (I.e. Advertising Agencies, Stationary Suppliers, Etc.,)

Budget Allocations and Actual financial performance (Revenue, Expense, Contribution Margin)

Financial Transactions

Available Products and details

Details of similar products

Academic Department

Student Information

Course Contents

Lecture Schedules

Details of educational bodies and affiliates

International Standards for education

Resource allocation

Budget Allocations

Administration

Vendor Details

Financial Transactions

Asset Information

Budget Allocations

Books available in Library

IT

User Account Details

Budget Allocations

Student Information

Asset Information

Use of IT assets

Maintenance Schedule

Table - Information Needs in each functional area

4.2. Task 2 – Identify the different types of information systems available in the selected Educational Institute. Explain the functions available in those Information Systems which is relevant to the selected Educational Institute. (LO 2.1)

What is Information Systems

In simple form, it’s a Computer Application. To elaborate more in details, we could add a combination of hardware, software, infrastructure, and trained personals interact to support and improve operational activities in the business as well as support the management to make business decisions.

Figure – information systems in an organization

Key elements of Information Systems

It should facilitate planning, control, coordination and decision making.

Major Investment for business goals

Information systems available

There are many information systems available. However, according to the scope and relevance, below are the most important information’s systems.

Management Information Systems (MIS)

MIS provides management with support and information for tactical & operational decision making and provides analysis on daily operation activities. The information provided is usually in report form using transaction processing systems which also can be a collection of many subsystems along side with each functional area.

Output Reports generated by MIS

Schedule Reports

Key Indicator Reports

Demand Reports

Exception Reports

Transaction Processing Systems (TPS)

TPS is an operation level system which records daily operation transaction activities in order to conduct the business. This system is the core of providing data for all other information systems such as MIS, DSS, ESS, and Office Automate Systems.

Decision Support Systems (DSS)

DSS mainly supports the tactical level management in order to make business sound decision process with flexible, adaptable and in a quick response manner. The information produced by DSS is gathered from internal as well as external data sources processed by using interactive and sophisticated modeling tools such as simulation, mathematical, statistical and analytical.

Expert Systems (ES)

ES is kind of imitating the decision making process which would consider by a professional. It will go much beyond the limitations of other systems while executing an action, which is predefined depending on the situation. Auto pilot systems are one classic example uses Artificial Intelligence.

Office Automation Systems (OAS)

Supports all levels but mainly used by operational level in an organization. Many organizations depend on OAS due to its user friendliness. Example for such systems is Microsoft Office Applications.

Knowledge Work Systems

Systems intended to support business continuity while passing knowledge though generations.

Available systems in the selected organization and its IS features

Available System

TPS

DSS

ES

MIS

OAS

Student & Member Management System

YES

YES

Accounts Management System

YES

YES

YES

YES

Employee Management System

YES

YES

Library System

YES

YES

YES

YES

Table – Available Systems in the selected organization

Student & Member Management System

The main objective of this system is to register students and members which is been related to other systems such as Accounts Management System and Library System. The registration of students and members are functions of Education Department (Academic). However, when a new student is registered, this function is being authorized to finance cashier user to record the new registration transaction along with the payment transaction. Also, the student system records attendance and evaluation results of studies they have enrolled.

Accounts Management System

All financial transactions such as student payment, employee salaries, library transactions and all other financial expenses and revenue are recorded through this system. It is the only system which is being linked with all systems across the institute. All the major reporting requirements are catered through this system.

Employee Management System

All employee details are stored including experience and academic qualifications. All employees are provided with magnetic cards in order to mark the attendance. The attendance are being fully automated while capturing the in and out time, leave allocations, and stored in Employee Management System. The calculation of salary including overtime, allowance and deduction of taxes are being auto generated. The accounts department does not have access to salary details of any employee but a total figure is been recorded in financial books as one transaction.

Library Management System

Only a registered student or member and employees can use the library facility. The key to make a book rendered is through producing the magnetic card which provides access to thousands of books. The librarian needs to update new books into the system and all daily transactions. The system is also capable of calculating penalty automatically. The system is also smart enough to capture local public holidays in order to have proper management of the library system.

4.3. Task 3 – Analyze different information systems available to solve the business problems in the other Educational Institutes. (LO 2.2)

What is missing?

Throughout the functional areas; Administration Department, Sales & Marketing and IT does not have systems. These functional areas are performing a wild job functions, but using Office Automated Systems in order to perform and satisfy their daily routines. The key of any organization is attention to detail. Also many educational institutes do not have all of these functions. Many institutes are lacking systems which denote too many issues in day to day business functions. Below are the lists of lacking systems. But some institutions may be using them to address their business problems.

Security Management Systems

Though students are provided with magnetic cards, the cards are not fully occupied or functional. The cards can be used for students where students are allowed only to access the relevant class room which was allocated through Student Management System.

Asset Management Systems

Currently the assets are recorded in an excel format were managing the assets are quite complicated. The implantation the Asset Management System would provide significant impact on visibility and ease while generating the annual report. Risk of missing assets would be also minimized.

Sales Management Systems

The performance of sales individuals is questionable. It creates more issues in HR point of view where face value becomes a practice. Proper evaluation is a must in order for an organization to be sustainable while having a policy of integrity.

Service Requirement System for IT

The performance of an IT employee and visibility of work being done is not captured measured. Lack of visibility is lack of information. Thereby, implementing a system with guidelines for all employees where they need technical assistance in software and hardware would add tremendous amount of advantages. Through this system, they would be able to calculate employee behaviors, expenditure for technical issue, and more systematic process of enhancing the current system. This will also provide opportunity for continues improvement and pass of knowledge through generation.

Online Student Registration and Payment System

With the internet being widely spread and being a global institution, the institute must cater to the requirement of students and members across the globe. As such the system should be enhanced to accommodate online transactions such as registering and making payments online for the benefit of ease.

4.4. Task 4 – Identify and explain the different types of information systems suitable for the different functional areas for the selected Education Institute. (LO 2.3)

What can be implemented?

All of the below systems are suitable for the selected institute one way or the anther. Since most of the key elements are available, the investment for new, enhancement or change is barely discernible.

Functional Area

System

Propose change type

Description

Finance and Accounts

Accounts Management System

System Enhancement

Adding ES features

Enhance the system to have Expert System features such as automation of mail distribution to students or members for outstanding payment.

Sales and Marketing

Sales Management Systems

New Implementation

Implement a new system to monitor performance of all sales force and provide visibility for management.

Administration

Asset Management System

New Implementation

Implement a new system to cater all assets management to provide visibility and proper management.

Security Management System

System Enhancement

Enhance the student information system while adding access control for students allowing only access to the relevant class.

IT

IT Service Requirement System

New Implementation

Implementing a new system to record all transactions of system enhancements and technical issues.

Academic Department

Online Student Registration and Payment System

System Enhancement

Enhancing the current system to accommodate online registration and payments through the internet

Table – Information Systems Suitable for the Institute

4.5. Task 5 - Select an information system from the selected Education Institute and critically analyze how it will be helpful to produce valid, accurate and useful information for the management decision making process. Justify your finding by providing valid evidences such as managerial reports produced by the system. (LO 3.1)

I have selected Accounts Management System as it is the core system of all systems. The finance system is being linked across all systems and pulling out data and converting them into information is centralized. The system provides many financial reports in related to the annual report. Since I’ll be evaluating the Annual Report, let’s look what’s inside the annual report.

Income Statement

Balance Sheet

Statement of Changes in Funds and Reserves

Cash Flow Statement

Summary of Financial

Why Annual Report is important?

Annual report is a document used for investments and provides an opportunity to have look at the financial numbers and compare many years back for prospective development in upcoming years. The key is to make a decision where to invest or not. In order to make the decision, the investor needs to know;

Where does the organization stand?

Is the business operating in suitable margins and earning a profit?

Able to compare the growth with previous years

Able to see if the net worth of the organization is improved or declined during the year concerned

Able to understand if the liquid assets are sufficient to cover during the upcoming year.

If the information provided by the organization to the investor is not correct, the investor falls under a great risk of financial collapse compared to expectations. Thereby, having proper information to make decision is crucial. Below are the key elements or measurement factors for information requirements.

Able to analyze

The information should be valid and relevant to the time

Should be understandable where it creates confidence

The information needs to be accurate

The information should be complete. Anything missing creates confusion and misleading to different paths. That’s why an annual report has many financial statements/views as well as statistical view throughout the document.

Also the information should be relevant to the point.

Explaining the key elements of information within a graphical view

I have chosen to describe the evidence from the annual report student new registration across Sri Lanka with the gender and geographical ratio. The reason for choosing this section is due to; it covers most of the measurement factors we described in above. The entire Annual Report 2011 will be attached within the Appendix.

Figure – Key elements of information in a graphical view

4.6. Task 6 - Suggest the evaluation techniques that can be used for the selected Educational Institutes information systems and provide a brief explanation of each technique. (LO 3.2)

Analysis

The information generated should be having the capabilities of playing with the numbers by filtering and altering the data as needed. A graphical view such as charts and tables provides quick knowledge with less effort.

Figure – Graphical and table view of approved training partner’s comaring with past few years

Validity

In any report provided to the management to make decisions, the report is generated through having many limits or boundaries. The validity describes, that the report is within the limits or boundaries and valid only within them. The entire picture given by this report is valid only within that limit or boundary. The limit or boundary can be a time, place, status, etc. For instance, we cannot providence a revenue report to the management while pulling all created invoices. We need to remove all cancelled and voided invoices and typically will need to have a time frame.

Accuracy

Decisions are made by evaluating and analyzing information's provided. Thereby the information generated should be accurate. Incorrect or false information’s drives the management to false or incorrect decisions. The ultimate payoff or outcome could be devastating if the information’s were not accurate.

Complete

The Information's generated should be having all measurements satisfied. Partially produce information is not sufficient to make good sound decisions. Thereby the information systems should be having the capabilities of providing complete information.

Confidence

The information should be accurate, understandable and presentable To Whom It May Concern. If all of these elements are fulfilled, the management will have confidence and making solid decisions would be comfortable.

Relevance

Information needs are different in each functional area and levels of the organization. The system should be capable of handling all types of needs within the organization structure. According to the needs the information should be provided or it becomes not relevant. For instance, the HR does not need to know, if students are attending classes. Cause it’s not relevant.

Identifying Alternatives

Alternatives ways of having information apart from the usual concepts are needed. Using Microsoft Office Applications is a classic example where functional areas may have been using to record transactions manually.

Future Recommendations

Below is the list of Future Recommendations. The recommendation can be either, new implementation or enhancements. More details on the recommendations can be found in Task 4.

Functional Area

Suitable Information Systems

Finance and Accounts

Accounts Management System

Academic Department

Online Registration and Payment System

Administration

Asset Management System

Security Management System

IT

IT Service Requirement System

Table – Future Recommendations for the selected Institution

Conclusion

For the assignment I have chosen The Institute of Charted Accountants of Sri Lanka and have used few methods from the requirement gathering techniques. The reason for using few methods was due to the limitations and constrains from the Education Institute willingness.

With the selection of the institution, I have described functional areas and the relevance of information system in each functional area. Also I have gone into details of functions of each functional area while describing its requirement of information needs. Each functional area has different information needs and some functional areas do not have proper systems implemented or completely missing to carry out their daily activities. This has resulted in low productivity and blind corners within the organization. Many educational institutions are not using these systems and have proposed to implement or enhance the existing systems to avoid low productivity and have full visibility throughout the institution. The recommendations are mentioned in the future recommendations chapter as well as Task 4.

Further, I have described the features and functions of each existing system and finally explained the measuring techniques and measured the annual report while using measuring techniques for Information Systems.

Apart from the Assignment, the students were to present the contents through a classroom session and have explained the same on January 27, 2013. I’m attaching the presentation slides for reference in the CD.

References

Gartenstein, D., Unknown. Importance of an Anual Report. [Online]

Available at: http://www.ehow.com/info_7759429_importance-annual-report.html

[Accessed 30 01 2013].

www.dineshbakshi.com, Unknown. Functions of a Human Resource department. [Online]

Available at: http://www.dineshbakshi.com/igcse-business-studies/people-at-work/revision-notes/850-functions-of-human-resource-department

[Accessed 31 January 2013].

Gantt chart