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POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

TAGUIG BRANCH
General Santos Avenue, Bicutan Taguig City

Polytechnic University of the Philippines


Taguig Branch Mobile Application
PUP MONOGRAPH SERIES
SY 2014-2015

Polytechnic University of the Philippines Taguig Branch Mobile Application

Badilla, Nikki Mae A.


Assistant Leader/Programmer
Blk 135 Lot 2 Phase 3Upper
Bicutan Taguig City
+639092744927
Badilla.nikkimae@gmail.com
Garcia, Elmer L.
Project Leader/Programmer
54b National Road, Putatan
Muntinlupa City
+639092316341
Garcia.elmer@gmail.com

Catimbang Angela H.
Document Analyst/Tester
24 Sampaguita St., Western
Bicutan, Taguig City
+639062238997
angela.catimbang@gmail.com

De Vera, Ruben
Tester/Media Specialist
203 Primerose St., Lakeview
Homes, Putatan, Muntinlupa
City
+639167857873
ruben.devera@gmail.com
Ostonal, Anna Marie J.
Document Analyst/ Lead Tester
#386 2nd St., GHQ Village, Brgy.Katuparan,Taguig City
+639476695766
anna.ostonal@gmail.com

ABSTRACT
The aim of this document is to study how students and faculty members of the Polytechnic
University of the Philippines-Taguig branch know up-to-date events and/or announcements within the
campus community. The key objective of this android application is to grant students of PUP-Taguig a
trouble-free dissemination of announcements, news and events, and a convenient campus companion
right on your android handset. This mobile application is based on the official website of the campus
which is the taguig.pup.edu.ph. The problem relies on how the PUP Taguig community be updated to all
the events and activities the campus have done. In order to comply with this problem, an android
application is developed. After conducting the alpha testing, the results showed that the applications
performance is very satisfactory.
The documentation of the study was structured in five main chapters: (1) Introduction, refers to
aim, scopes and limitations and the study of the problem; (2)Review of related literature, includes the
foreign and local studies and literatures; (3)Methodology, comprise of the planning, analysis and the
design of the application; (4)Results and discussions, contains the results of the alpha testing that was
conducted; (5) Conclusion and recommendation, discuss the preferred conclusion and recommendation
based on the results.
Keywords: mobile application, course management

1.

INTRODUCTION
We cannot deny the fact that technology has ruled the planet right before our very eyes. Due to
the fast development of the society, the researchers decide to come up with an android application that
will suit the universitys craving for new technology. Like in any other State University which doesnt
use any course management application, activities such as giving assignments and announcements are
done either manually or online (through social media websites) which sometimes require time for a
response. This process is also used for communication regarding campus matters. Although this process
is already accommodated by the university website (www.puptaguig.net,), university pages and other
course groups on Facebook and other social media sites, the teaching staffs of the University will find it
beneficial if there is a mobile application that is handy to help them manage the activities they usually
practice in their works.
1.1 Project Context
The Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) Taguig Mobile Application is an android
course management application that is developed using an android development tool. It handles all the
online and offline transactions that aids both the faculty staffs and students of PUP Taguig. These online
transactions include university announcements, news and events, frequently asked questions,
suggestions to certain offices, counselling schedule, and faculty about, while the offline transactions take
account of general information about the campus. The Administrator of the application has an access to
the report and certain concerns regarding the said transactions. The application is developed to help both
the faculty staffs and students of the institution to build up effective communication that fits their busy
schedule.
1. 2 Purpose and Description of the Project
Technology is already considered as a necessity nowadays. As a matter of fact, owning a smart
phone doesnt elevate ones status in the society because high, middle, or lower class people can now
buy smart phones despite the brand or specifications.
PUP Taguig is one of the branches of the Philippines top universities. Students in PUP Taguig
have an open mind in using the current technology to create something that can be used to promote
education or even the lifestyle of PUPians. This led the researchers to the idea of generating an android
application of the PUP Taguig website that brings suitable and trouble-free access to the PUP Taguig
branch. The feasible outcomes of this solution are:
(1) Up-to-date announcements,
(2) Monitored news and events,
(3) Optimized communication between campus superior to subordinates and community,
(4) Interactive learning between the students and their respective professors.
1.3 Objectives of the Project
The objectives of the project are:
To develop an Interactive Mobile Application for Polytechnic University of the Philippines Taguig
Campus;
To identify the services and other features that are made available using the mobile application, this
take account of:
Up-to-date University announcements;
Fingertip relation between superior and subordinates;
Update/s of the campus news and events;
Contact us feature to know how to contact the developers;

Fingertip access to your appointments by the use of to do list feature;


Submission of your own work in literary work;
Suggestion/s to campus offices through Campus Suggestions;
Acquisition of your needed counselling and advices through Counselling Services feature;
Knowledge about the professors in PUPT through professors about panel;
Access to other applications developed for PUP Taguig;
Add feedback to give us your evaluation about the app.
To formulate specific guidelines and policies for PUPT Mobile App;
To customize the PUPT Mobile App according to the needs of the clients;
To substitute puptaguig.net with the aid of a mobile application.
1.4 Scope and Limitation of the Project
PUPT Mobile App is an android based mobile application which aided both professors and
students with regards to disseminating university information. The application does not replace any
teaching method and medium each faculty is currently using. This will only be a supplementary means
for them to use with regards to keeping in touch with the campus community.
The scope of this study ranges from the features of the PUPT mobile application as listed below:
Announcement Module
- This allows the users to view up-to-date announcements in the university.
News and events Module
- This allows the users to view the latest news and events within the campus community.
About PUP Module
- This allows the users to view the general information about of PUP Taguig.
Professors About Module
- This allows the users to view the list of professors of PUP Taguig and their schedule.
To Do List Module
- This allows the users to add personal to do lists.
Literary Module
- This allows the users to send literary works and to be subjected for the approval of the
administrator.
Office Suggestion Module
- This allows the users to send suggestion to a certain office.
Frequently Asked Questions Module
- This allows the users to send questions and to be subjected for the approval and response of the
administrator.
Counselling Schedule Module
- This allows the users to set a schedule with the guidance counsellor for counselling.
PUPT Application Module
- This allows the users to use our application as a portal to other applications applicable for PUP
Taguig.
Contact Us Module
- This allows the users to view the contact information of PUP Taguig.
Application Feedback Module
- This allows the users to rate our application.
The study limits the coverage of the following:

The study limits the coverage of the different modules present in the PUP Taguig website such as:
Students module (admission/board passers/ROIS etc.)
Faculty and Staff modules (FEA website)
Alumni (Alumni community website)
Other online services
1.5 Significance of the Project
The purpose of PUPT Mobile App is to generate an ample and tranquil mobile application in
viewing and updating announcements and events. Therefore, the result of this study will benefit the
students, teachers and faculty. The projects goal is deliberated to help the student to be updated about
the important happenings in the campus. Furthermore, this study serves as a hypothetical model for the
future studies of the same nature if ever the existing problem would penetrate or exist in the future.
Future researches will benefit from this study and it will provide them the facts needed to compare their
study during their respective time and usability.
2. TECHNICAL BACKGROUND
2.1 Details of the technologies used
Android Development Tool
Since this project is concentrated on developing a mobile application, the developers used ADT
Bundle or Eclipse as the primary tool upon developing the application.
Wi-Fi ( Wireless Fidelity)
A facility that allows computers, smartphones, or other devices to connect to the Internet or
communicate with one another wirelessly within a particular area (Wikipedia).The client (browser)
will request the data to be displayed on the application from the databases and connection is also a
primary technology needed.
Data connection (GPRS/3G/4G/LTE)
It is another mode of connection through the use of the data connection of the carrier service
(GLOBE, SUN, SMART).
2.2 How the project will work
The project needs some conditions that the researchers fulfilled for it to work. First of all, the
developers achieved all of the goals of this project. The output application provided all the features that
the client needed. After the developmental phase, in the implementation phase, the software itself is
accessible to the users and the users had their own android handset with installed application. They also
had their own internet connection because most of the mobile application features needed to be online
for it fetches its data on the databases.
3. METHODOLOGY
The researchers use the traditional systems development technique or the structured analysis
because of the following reasons:
* To ensure that the project satisfies the users;
* To have an accurate time frame within the study;
* To have documentation of the project.
Structured analysis has a series of phases called Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC) that
tackles planning, analysis, designing, implementation and maintenance. This will guide the researchers
to achieve the rightful results.

3.1 Project Identification and Selection


The researchers are given a task of developing a useful android application. At first, the
researchers thought of developing something that a student can use offline such as a school buddy
application which has features of taking down notes, assignments, appointments, calendar or as simple
as an organizer. But after sometime, they thought of developing something that can be used not just by
students but also by the whole community. That is when they formulated an idea of having PUP Taguig
mobile app which features the announcements, news and events, professors about, counselling schedule,
suggestions to offices, frequently asked questions, to-do lists, literary, PUPT applications, application
feedback and information about the said university.
3.2 Project Initiation and Planning
3.2.1 System Plan
At this point, the researchers tried to understand why the project had to be built, how it will be
built and what the future outcome of the project is.
3.2.1 Project Initiation
First and foremost, the researchers would conduct a feasibility study on the four aspects
respectively:
Operational Feasibility
Mobile applications are indeed a great manifestation of technology. In terms of operational
feasibility of the PUPT Mobile Application, the time it entered its market, the app is not just be useful
but it is also be a necessity for the users.
Since the app is connected to the existing PUP Taguig website, and the hosting for the said
website is being paid, additional cost will be charged upon the connection of the databases. In terms of
manpower, an administrator is needed to manage the features of the app such as the announcements,
news and events, and troubleshooting.
Announcements that are been posted is only came from trusted officials of the said university to
lessen the risk of spreading false information. News and events are regulated on a regular basis to keep
the community updated about the approaching events and latest news. Frequently asked questions and
suggestions to certain offices are also accommodated by the administrator for approval and response.
Counselling schedule is accommodated by the guidance counsellor for the approval of the said
appointment. The intellectual property of this project is gone firmly to the PUP Taguig students listed.
Not a part of the proposal, feasibility research, and the mobile application itself could not be
disseminated or copied without the consent of its author and developers.
Technical Feasibility
The wide spread of website applications has been very evident across the globe. This progress in
our present technology allows the research team to develop the PUPT mobile application.
The users of the said application is required to have an Android supported handset with an Android
version of 4.0 (ICS) or higher with an available space of at least 10mb. By surveillance, the majority of
the PUP Taguig students already have a smart phone but for those who do not have one, the cheapest
existing android handset in the marketplace (Philippines) is ranging about P2, 000 P2, 500 pesos. They
also need to have internet connections in their handset. It may be through data connection or Wi-Fi
connection.

Compatibility Checking
The PUPT Mobile Application runs with the unlimited space of web hosting site, tablet and
mobiles with an android operating system and high-level performance. The client-side workstation is
required to have an android operating system for mobile handset with an android version of 4.0 (ICS) or
higher and an available space of at least 10MB of RAM.
Relevance of the Technology
This application is a prime example. Students could find out what they want to know, quickly,
easily and without a great expense. Information is available to help the students know what are the
announcements and news and events in the university. If they want to ask something to the certain
offices, they can ask through this application. Information is available about any subject you can
imagine, and it's usually very inexpensive.
Schedule Feasibility
The researchers use the Gantt chart which served as a guide in conducting the research and in
knowing the next steps to be taken. The chart is also utilized to keep track the tasks to be done in a
specific time and day.
Legal Feasibility
Legal feasibility involves in verifying the legal validity of this mobile application.
Copyright Issues
The researchers use free and open source technologies and tools in developing this
mobile application. Therefore, there is no violation of any law. If any articles or images from any
other publication are used in this application, we excluded the liability by indicating their
respective reference sources.
Government Constraints
Since this mobile application is implemented in a government institute, it may be subject
to rules & regulations imposed & even funding constraints.
Economic feasibility
This project is not mainly concerning the cost-benefit of what is invested into the project. The
main distress of this project is to offer updates to PUP Taguig students with reference to the happenings
inside the University through the use of android handset. The researchers also aimed to let the students
keep in touch with their colleagues and/or professors regarding important subject matters.
3.3 Analysis
Benefits Analysis
The researchers analyzed the current system as compared to the proposed system with the use of
a comparison table.
Current System
Proposed System
Desktop/Laptop based
Mobile application
Can only be viewed as a website through a
Uses android phones
computer/laptop
Announcements can only be seen in website
Announcements through the application module
can disseminate information easily
Open for all (non-PUPT people)
Exclusive for PUPT community
Requires internet connection
Requires internet connection

Cost Analysis
Development Costs
Hardware Costs
Existing resources in premises & the personal handset of the users are used. In case the
existing handset will be broken or damage due to the application, the replacement will exist.
Software costs
Softwares needed are free and open source. But if there would come a time that they will
provide new software they will buy for it.
Initial implementation Costs
The existing web host of the institution is used. The cost would be their fee to the host.
Operational Costs
Staffing the system is not a problem because there are students from the department that can
handle and maintain the application.
Cost of the physical location is not needed. The office of the institution is the physical location.
Requirements Modeling
Input-Process-Output
INPUT

Input a question.

Input a literary piece.

PROCESS
Import announcements from
www.puptaguig.net
Import news and events from
ww.puptaguig.net
Questions are sent to administrator side
of the website, subjected for the
approval and response of the
administrator.
Literary piece is sent to administrator
side of the website, subjected for the
approval of the administrator.

Input a suggestion.

Suggestions sent to administrator side


of the website.

Input a to-do list.

To-do list saved in our mobile


application.
Counselling schedule is subjected for
approval of the guidance counsellor.
Import schedule of the professors from
puptaguig.net

Input a desired schedule


for counselling.

OUTPUT
Campus announcements
viewed on android handset
Campus news and upcoming
events viewed on android
handset
Frequently Asked Questions
that is sent from mobile device
is notified and displayed
through our application.
Literary piece that is sent from
mobile device is notified and
displayed through our
application.
Suggestions that are sent from
mobile device displayed based
on the offices in our website.
To-do lists viewed on android
handset.
Schedule of professors viewed
on android handset

Performance
The PUPT mobile application has already passed the criteria to be able to say that it has a good
performance; quickly responds, could be viewed easily, and updates current and upcoming information.

3.4 Design
Output and User-Interface
To verify some environment, errors and other necessity for the application, prototyping is highly
applied in the development process. The initial prototype is automatically reflected the developers
perceptive of those early requirements. After presenting the initial prototype of the application, it
proceeds to the next form of the communicating process. The users gave the developers their feedbacks,
corrected any misconstructions, and recognized mistakes or other requirements they did not expect on
their own. The process at this point becomes iterative; the developers made new versions according to
the users feedbacks, presented it again to the user, and finalized the changes required, until they meet
the preferences of the users.
The researchers conducted numerous researches about first-rate user interface designs for
android apps which resulted to numerous trials for a model.
Data Design
Data Dictionary
Announcements
Field name
Anmt_ID
Anmt_Name
Anmt_date

Data type
AutoNumber
Text
Date&Time

Description
Primary Key
display name
Day and time the announcement
is made

News and events


Field name
ne_ID
ne_Name
ne_date

Data type
AutoNumber
Text
Date&Time

Description
Primary Key
display name
Day and time the event/news is
made

Feedback
Field name
Rid
Feedback
Rating
Date
Office Suggestions
Field name
suggestID
studNum
Office
Message
suggestDate
studName

Data type
int(11)
varchar(250)
int(11)
date
Data type
int(11)
varchar(15)
varchar(25)
varchar(250)
date
varchar(50)

Description
Primary Key
Feedback/message
Rating
Date rated
Description
Primary Key
Student Number
Name of the office
Suggestion/message
Date of suggestion
Student Name

3.5 Implementation
The developers will provide the users an audio and video presentation of the application including the
video on how to use the application. The team will also conduct parallel implementation to further
innovate the old system.

3.6 Maintenance
After the system is implemented, the developers will perform maintenance to ensure that the system is
working properly and that the end user is satisfies with the service the application is offering.
Corrective Maintenance - The developers will be checking and fixing errors in the system.
Adaptive maintenance - adds new capability and enhancements,
Perfective maintenance - improves efficiency, and perfective maintenance - improves efficiency, and
Preventive maintenance - reduces the possibility of future system failure.
4. DISCUSSIONS
Conclusions
The researchers conducted research on how to provide a trouble-free access to
www.puptaguig.net and PUPT community with the use of establishing links between android and the
web. To facilitate this, the researchers developed PUP Taguig Mobile Application, a systematic android
program with a variety of modules and functions that serve as a portal to www.puptaguig,net where all
news and event of PUPT campus are posted.
After our alpha and beta test, the results showed that PUPT Mobile is not yet at its best because
of some filters and user interface designs that are essential to be furnished. Finally the researchers
explored possible ways in which the current condition may be enhanced and next generation solutions
may be developed.
Therefore, the researchers concluded that they had improved the features existing in this mobile
application.
Recommendations
After the test, the researchers received recommendations to improve the PUP Taguig mobile.
Improve Graphical User interface;
Use colours appropriate for the application;
Make the applications response faster.
In creating an android application we considered different factors such as its (1) Functionality; Are all
buttons functioning? Does it provide good graphical user interface? (2) Usability; Is the workinginterface responsive? Or is it easy to operate and navigate the program? (3) Reliability; Can it retrieve
the records accurately? Is the performance assed well? And (4) Performance; Does it respond quickly?
Does it update current and upcoming information? Can it be easily viewed?
Does if these factors satisfied future works will be a success of the creator and developers.
5. REFERENCES
PUP Taguig Moodle Garcia, Domingo, Guererro, Mark Anthony, Portillo, Edward Allen,
Rosario, Josner, (2013).
My teacher is an Android: Engaging learners through an Android application, Lyndon Walker ,
Faculty of Higher Education , Swinburne University of Technology (2011)
http://www.irrodl.org/
http://www.schoolinfoapp.com/
https://play.google.com
http://www.netsupportsoftware.com/
http://alchemiaandroid.altervista.org/
http://www.phonearena.com/news/The-best-Android-browsers-2014-edition-design-featuresand-performance_id58350

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