Quality Assurance Management

System

Graduation Project

Supervisor:

Dr. Mohamed Ashour

Eng. Aya Ayman

IT Department
Faculty of Computers and Information Technology
The Egyptian E-Learning University
2023 – 2024

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 Team Members

1. Abdullah Mohammed Abdullah

2. Muhammad Abdul-Hamid Muhammed

3. Omar Fathi Hammad

4. Mohamed Elsayed Salem

5. Mohamed Ahmed Fahmi

6. Toqa Ali Ali

7. Eman Shahat Magdy

Table Of Content

Abstract……………………………………………………………………………………...........
1. Chapter 1 ...............................................................................................

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 1.1 Introduction......................................................................................
1.2 System Modules...............................................................................
2- The High-Level UML Diagrams for The QAMS ......................................
2.1 Data Flow Diagram ......................................................................
2-2 Use-case Diagram ........................................................................
2-3 Flowchart ....................................................................................
2-4 Activity Diagram ........................................................................
3- The UML Diagrams for Some System Modules .....................................
3.1 The Course module ......................................................................
3.2 The Staff Module ..........................................................................
3.3 The Technology module ...............................................................

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 Abstract

 One of the most important concerns of the current institutions of higher education is the
management process to ensure quality.

 The most important problem facing these institutions is the quality assurance evaluation
process. One of the best ways to overcome this problem is building a system based on a
computer to manage that process.

 We will define this system as "a Quality Assurance Management System for Higher
Education (QAMS)". During this paper we will explain our vision and analysis to build
such a system.

 During the system construction we must identify the main modules for the system and the
relationships between them.

 Our QAMS will be constructed to enable the quality evaluator to evaluate the institution’s
quality and generate the final quality report automatically without additional efforts.

 The main purpose of this paper is to explain our QAMS components. This view will be illustrated
by using the UML language diagrams as use-case diagram, data flow diagram, flowchart, and
activity diagram.

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 Introduction

Ensuring quality in educational institutions has become a critical imperative, holding the key to
the very existence of these institutions. The absence of a commitment to quality within an
educational establishment not only compromises the essence of education itself but also
undermines the recognition of the institution and its graduates.

The significance of Quality Assurance (QA) in Higher Education, encompassing all its
components, has evolved into a societal necessity. This requirement resonates across political
echelons, emphasizing the need to enhance graduate qualifications to align with the demands of
the job market. Recent terminologies like "Quality Assurance" and "Quality Rectification"
highlight the process of assessing and rectifying as pivotal evidence of an institution's
educational quality. This trend has spurred many developed countries in the higher education
field to formulate guidelines for processing student assessments.

defines quality assurance as "systematic management and assessment procedures adopted by

higher education institutions and systems to monitor performance against objectives, ensuring
the attainment of quality outputs and improvements." Broadly, QA involves consistently and
continuously defining and fulfilling a set of quality standards, aiming to satisfy consumers,
producers, and other stakeholders.

In higher education, quality assurance encompasses the procedures, processes, and systems
employed by institutions to manage and enhance the quality of education and related activities.
The quality of higher education delivered is a focal concern for students, institutions, and
government departments, particularly given the ongoing decline in the "unit of resource." Quality
issues permeate all facets of an institution's planning, impacting student and staff performance,
as well as administration and finance.

Within the realm of higher education quality, stakeholders comprise various entities with a vested
interest in the quality of provision and standard of outcomes. These stakeholders include
government bodies, employers, students, academic and administrative staff, institutional
managers, prospective students, and their parents, as well as taxpayers.

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1.System Modules

A Quality Assurance Management System (QAMS) comprises the essential policies, attitudes, actions,
and procedures designed to uphold and improve quality. This system is implemented across various
dimensions, as detailed in [7]:
 Courses, degrees, and learning content.
 Staff
 Technology
 Learning methods
 Services
 Organizational and managerial structure

Our system has been developed based on the principles outlined in [7]. The system modules, as illustrated
in Figure 1, include:

 Program Module
 Course Module
 Staff Module
 Technology Module
 Method Module
 Services Module

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 Figure 1: The QAMS Modules

According to Figure 1, the Course Module primarily serves to scrutinize course content, assess courses,
and organize results derived from student evaluations, as well as the degrees offered. The Staff Module is
dedicated to evaluating staff performance, degrees obtained, and research activities. The Method Module
is responsible for examining institutional strategies and plans. The Technology Module focuses on the
institution's preparedness in terms of technology. Lastly, the Services Module assesses the institution's
services, specifically in the context of electronic open and distance learning (e-ODL).

The various modules are designed to collaborate and perform specific tasks in tandem. As an example,
consider the staff evaluation process, where essential information about staff performance is required. In
this scenario, the primary source of information is the students. Through the student evaluation process,
students assess their respective staff, providing valuable feedback. The responsibility for managing the
student evaluation process lies with the Course Evaluation Module. Therefore, the Staff Module initiates a
request to the Course Module, specifying the staff member's name. Subsequently, the Course Module
responds by furnishing all pertinent student feedback, which is then utilized in the staff evaluation

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process. This inter-module interaction enhances the efficiency and coherence of the overall Quality
Assurance Management System.

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2.The High-Level UML Diagrams for the QAMS

The Unified Modeling Language (UML) serves as a standardized language for specifying, visualizing,
constructing, and documenting various aspects of software systems, as well as for business modeling and
other non-software systems.

It encapsulates a set of best engineering practices that have demonstrated success in modeling large and
intricate systems. UML plays a crucial role in the development of object-oriented software and the overall
software development process. Utilizing predominantly graphical notations, the UML facilitates the
expression of software project designs.

Its adoption aids project teams in effective communication, exploration of potential designs, and
validation of the architectural design within the software development lifecycle.

In this section, we will delve into an exploration of the system using a series of high-level Unified
Modeling Language (UML) diagrams, including Data Flow Diagrams (DFD), Flowcharts, Use-Case
diagrams, and Activity diagrams. These visual representations will provide a comprehensive
understanding of the system's structure, interactions, and functionalities.

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2.1 Data Flow Diagram
A Data Flow Diagram (DFD) serves as a visual representation illustrating the flow of data between
external entities, processes, and data stores within a system. This diagram provides a clear picture of how
data moves within the system, showcasing the interactions and relationships between different
components.

From Figure 1, we can create a Data Flow Diagram (Level 1) for the Quality Assurance Management
System (QAMS) as depicted in Figure 2. In this diagram, the evaluator initiates the institution’s quality
evaluation by sending an "evaluate order." The system receives this request and autonomously retrieves
the necessary data from the institution database, furnishing it to the evaluator. Throughout the evaluation
process, the system undertakes certain tasks automatically, such as the analysis of student feedback, and
delivers the outcomes to the evaluator. The ultimate result of this process is the generation of the quality
evaluation report.

In Figure 2, there are five processes: Course Evaluation, Staff Performance Evaluation, Methods
Evaluation, Technology Evaluation, and Services Evaluation. Additionally, there are four data stores:
1. Program File Data Store: This stores information about the institution's program.
2. Course File Data Store: This contains details about courses, including content, assessments,
specifications, and other relevant information.
3. Students' Feedback Data Store: This holds data related to student evaluations for courses, staff,
and other aspects.
4. Report File Data Store: This repository stores all quality evaluation reports, including the Course
Evaluation Report.

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2.2 Use-case Diagram

A use case is a depiction of various scenarios that describe interactions between a user and a system. A
use case diagram visually represents the relationships among actors and use cases. The key components of
a use case diagram include use cases and actors. An actor symbolizes a user or another system that will
engage in interactions with the system being modeled. This diagram provides a high-level overview of the
system's functionality by illustrating how users and external entities interact with the system through
different use cases.

In Figure 3, the high-level use-case diagram for the system is presented, highlighting the pivotal role of
the evaluator as the main actor. In this diagram, the evaluator interacts with the system to assess various
aspects of the university's quality. Based on our established framework and criteria, the evaluator engages
with the system to perform tasks such as evaluating courses, reviewing staff performance, assessing
technology, examining research and its outcomes, inspecting the program and its objectives, appraising
management performance and structure, aligning achieved results with program objectives, scrutinizing
market needs and their fulfillment, conducting an overall system evaluation, and ultimately generating a
comprehensive final report containing all evaluation details automatically, as depicted in Figure 3.

Additionally, students also interact with the system to evaluate courses and assess staff performance. This
use-case diagram provides a succinct overview of the system's functionality from the perspective of its
primary users.

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 Figure 2: Level1 DFD for QAMS

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 Figure 3: Use-case diagram for QAMS

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2.3 Flowchart
A flowchart is a visual representation of a process, using graphical or symbolic elements. Each step in the
process is denoted by a distinct symbol accompanied by a brief description of the process step. These
symbols are interconnected with arrows that indicate the direction of the process flow. Flowcharts are
effective tools for illustrating the sequential steps and decision points within a process, providing a clear
and easily understandable depiction of the overall workflow.

In Figure 4, we have constructed the flowchart for the Quality Assurance Management System (QAMS)
to outline the primary sequence of the system's operations. In this representation, the variable 'n' denotes
the number of errors, while other variables signify the evaluation state, indicating either an accepted result
or not.

The flowchart reveals two types of reports that the system can generate. The first is the Unaccepted Error
Report, which is produced if the institution's program does not align with the main requirements and
objectives of the market. The second is the Quality Report, encompassing the final evaluation for the
institution. Additionally, the Quality Report incorporates the evaluator's opinion on the program and
includes recommendations for the overall system. This flowchart provides a systematic overview of the
key processes and decision points within the QAMS.

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 Figure 4: The high-level Flowchart for QAMS

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2.4 Activity Diagram
In UML (Unified Modeling Language), an activity diagram serves the purpose of illustrating the sequence
of activities within a system. These diagrams visually represent the workflow, starting from an initial
point and progressing to a concluding point, outlining various decision paths that may be encountered
during the progression of events. Activity diagrams are particularly effective in showcasing scenarios
where parallel processing can occur during the execution of certain activities.

These diagrams find application in business modeling, offering a means to articulate and detail the
processes associated with business activities. Activity diagrams are valuable tools for visually
communicating the dynamic aspects of a system, depicting how different activities interact and influence
each other throughout a given process.

Figure 5: The Top Activity Diagram for QAM

3. The UML Diagrams for Some System Modules

3.1 The Course module
The Course module is structured into three integral components to assess specific criteria: Course Design,
Course Assessment, and Student Evaluation. Within our system, there exist two input parameters—
namely, the chosen degree program and the individual course—yielding two corresponding outputs:
recommendations and evaluation results.

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To uphold high-quality course management, our system meticulously evaluates the following key aspects:

· Explicit Course Objectives: Each course delineates a transparent statement outlining the expected
accomplishments upon successful completion. Objectives may encompass the development of
specific skills, vocational proficiency, preparation for internal or external qualifications, job-
related training, information dissemination, or personal growth.

· Customized Course Objectives: Course objectives may vary among learners, yet they are
unambiguously specified in the agreement between the provider and the learner.

· Structural Flexibility: Courses are thoughtfully structured to accommodate points for partial
completion whenever feasible.

· Time Limit Justifications: If providers impose time limits for course completion, explicit reasons
for these constraints are provided.

· Comprehensive Assessments: Assessments, including examinations, administered by the provider

during or after a course, are designed to ensure a thorough evaluation of the learner's abilities and
achievements.

· Accreditation Alignment: Assessments, when applicable, are correlated with accreditation by

nationally recognized qualification-awarding bodies.

· Documented Learning Evidence: Relevant documentary evidence of achieved learning is made

accessible to all learners upon course completion.

· Transparent Certification: Certificates awarded upon course completion unequivocally specify

that they recognize the fulfillment of the course and do not imply validation of any internal or
external qualifications.

· Notification of External Assessments: The learner is informed if the course outcome involves the
ability to sit examinations or undergo assessments conducted by an external organization.

· Information Provided to Learners: Pertinent details are shared with the learner, such as ongoing
availability of any external qualification, the currency of qualifications offered by external
organizations, and any associated charges, if applicable.

· Responsibilities Clarified: Clear delineation of responsibilities between the provider and the
learner is established, covering aspects such as the continuous availability of external
qualifications, the validity period of qualifications offered by external organizations, and any
associated fees.

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 · Proactive Information Maintenance: The provider proactively endeavors to stay abreast of
changes in the availability, entrance requirements, or curricula of external examining or
qualifying bodies. At no point does the provider mislead applicants or learners regarding its
knowledge or responsibilities in these matters.

In the depicted Figure, the use-case diagram for the course evaluation process encompasses key actors,
namely, the evaluator, student, and academic staff. Within this module, the evaluator gains the capability
to:

· Review program objectives.

· Examine course specifications.
· Align the course with the program, assessing how well the course aligns with program
objectives.
· Access student results for this course.
· View students' feedback and evaluations pertaining to this course.
· Perform evaluations on the references utilized.
· Assess the results of this course.

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 · Generate an evaluation report.
· Formulate recommendations based on the evaluation outcomes.

The Course Evaluation Use–Case diagram

The depicted flowchart illustrates the intended course evaluation process. The progression of the
evaluation hinges on the alignment with program objectives. If the course objectives do not align with the
program objectives, the entire process comes to a halt. Conversely, if the system identifies that the course
aligns with the objectives of the institution's program, it proceeds to assess other course details, including
references used, teaching time, and course results. Ultimately, the system generates the course evaluation
report and formulates recommendations based on the evaluation outcomes for this particular course.

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 The Course Evaluation Flowchart

The course evaluation activity diagram is shown in the following figure. This diagram represents
the main operation that can occur during the evaluation of any course as shown at this shape.

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 The Course Evaluation Activity Diagram

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3.2 The Staff Module

Similar to monitoring student performance, the evaluation of staff, particularly teacher assistants, is also a
crucial aspect. The objective of the performance management process is to align individual and group
objectives with the mission of the department, division, and university. This process ensures that staff
performance is linked to the realization of Carnegie Mellon’s vision, mission, and goals. The continuous
nature of performance management involves both supervisors and employees in identifying and assessing
key job performance objectives and competencies that contribute to organizational goals.

In our system, the staff module primarily serves the function of evaluating the overall performance of
teacher assistants. This module assumes a pivotal role in collaboration with the evaluator when assessing
the performance of staff members.

The inputs for this module include staff data (such as name, ID, degrees, and research), student results
reflecting staff performance and their impact, and students’ feedback. Of particular significance is the
students’ feedback, containing comments and opinions about the staff, making it a vital input for this
evaluation module. The staff module interacts with the course module to obtain students' feedback, as
described earlier.

The forthcoming UML diagrams illustrate the functionality of the Staff module, showcasing its main
functions in a sequence like that used in the Course module.

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 DFD For the Staff Module

The illustrated figure depicts the staff evaluation use-case diagram, with the main actors being the
evaluator and the student. Emphasis is placed on the actions of the evaluator, who is tasked with the
following responsibilities:

· Gathering employee data, including but not limited to Name and ID.
· Reviewing students' evaluations for courses instructed by the staff.
· Collecting students' opinions regarding potential enhancements.
· Examining the employee's degrees and research to discern their specialization.
· Generating the staff report and formulating recommendations based on the evaluation outcomes.

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 The Staff Evaluation Use–Case diagram

The Staff Evaluation flowchart

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 The Staff Evaluation Activity Diagram

3.3 The Technology module

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 The Technology Module DFD

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