University Enterprise Resource Planning System

Introduction

Educators have an excellent opportunity to take advantage of cloud-based enterprise resource planning (ERP) solutions, which help streamline several departments in a university, bring everyone together to work from the same point of view, and reduce silos between departments. Cloud-based enterprise software became increasingly necessary for educational and business purposes due to the global pandemic in 2020 (Rastogi et al., 2021). Before the pandemic, institutions using on-premises systems and Excel spreadsheets could not switch from remote learning to remote administration through cloud platforms. Most ERP-related studies in the academy focus on curriculum integration or self-assessment surveys (Rastogi et al., 2021). Therefore, there is an increasing need for Abilene Christian University to embrace cloud-based enterprise resource planning (ERP) solutions to help online distance learning students and improve the business efficiency of the university.

Background and Objectives

Schools need access to data, course materials, financial data, and other important information as digital educational technology, or “ed-tech,” becomes a more critical part of the classroom. Providing education is no longer their sole duty; they are also enterprises that operate based on profit and honesty. In light of this, universities should be capable of handling a large amount of student data, which tends to produce a high volume of transactions. Therefore, managing all of this is a difficult task for college managers. Due to this, the college administration faces difficult situations. Manual maintenance becomes more challenging as time goes on (Mallikarjuna et al., 2021). A well-designed software management system can only solve these problems. People who develop college management software must identify the key points to create a sound system (Mallikarjuna et al., 2021). The essence of the proposal is to identify an ideal software that can help students at Abilene Christian University with their online learning and improve the business efficiency of the university.

Issues or Main Points

COVID-19 has sparked numerous challenges for equity and higher education access worldwide. Additionally, the pandemic has also shown global interconnectedness and common problems despite differences in context. The crisis has disrupted both their education and their families. There has been a tremendous financial impact on states caused by the pandemic (Mallikarjuna et al., 2021). Students and their families have suffered economic consequences and university income losses (Raiyetunbi et al., 2020). As well, many universities are facing staff overload, a problem that existed before COVID-19. University faculty work from home, and many have children they are raising while doing their faculty duties simultaneously (Raiyetunbi et al., 2020). During the summer months, more students have taken advantage of online learning.

To improve online teaching effectiveness, faculty members have been extensively trained. A fully online course could be shared, but a hybrid approach, which is most likely in the future, could be more difficult to share (Carlsson‐Wall et al., 2022). Sharing might be possible if course materials are provided along with the in-person component. In addition to shortening the semester and allowing some studies to be conducted online, the university is adjusting its academic calendar (Carlsson‐Wall et al., 2022). A hybrid approach to teaching and learning will likely be the best solution in the future, combining the latest online resources with face-to-face sessions.

In all educational institutions, the ultimate objective is to achieve learning goals as efficiently as possible. Due to the plethora of daily activities institutions have to deal with in today’s dynamic world of education, maintaining quality standards is getting increasingly tricky (Nasim et al., 2020). It can sometimes produce irreversible consequences when manual intervention is used in such a large number of activities (Mallikarjuna et al., 2021). Education Management Software (EMS) can offer solutions to such workflow issues with the advancement of technology and information (Nasim et al., 2020). A student management system comprises modules designed to automate the critical daily non-administrative and administrative tasks and streamline the workflow according to federal and state regulations.

For “school management to positively impact student achievement, both must be connected. Effective development techniques should be strongly correlated with students’ academic achievement if assessments of educators’ work are associated with students’ academic improvement (Wijaya & Dhewanto, 2019). Various educational boards’ effectiveness must be dedicated to high educational achievement (Mallikarjuna et al., 2021). Many variables disrupt the educational process, and the reasons for skipping school or a class should be inversely related to a student’s academic accomplishment (Wijaya & Dhewanto, 2019). Interactive school life, the focus of students and instructors in training programs, continuous participation in experimental rivalries and gatherings, and various events for parents and students should be inextricably linked to high academic ability. The principals’ self-evaluation should be linked to high scholarly achievement.

The examination’s inspiration is to distinguish evidence of university administration variables forestalling student academic success and assess their predictive effectiveness in this methodology (Katuu, 2020). As noted in the results, school viability is also related to student achievement; the practical work done by student unions, instructional boards, and math segments helps students learn. While repetitive use of different teacher assessment methods leads to academic success, utilizing these techniques does not always manifest as success (Katuu, 2020). Examples include assessing instructors through rating polls, assessing students through theoretical achievement analysis, and assessing students via National Assessment results.

A significant attempt must be made to utilize different strategies for instructor appraisals when students’ academic achievement is lower, as this may enable management of the lower achievement level. To improve education, developing programs are essential, sharing the experience with associates, organizing logical programs, competitions, and meetings, and providing numerous occasions for students and parents (Tarani et al., 2021). It is expected that such a school environment and sound environment engage students with dynamic educators, constantly trying to enhance their capabilities and offer experience (Tarani et al., 2021). Due to the leadership role that a top plays in the learning process, his self-assessment also predicts a student’s academic success.

An EMS-based software solution is crucial for integrating and automating activities from admission to leaving certificate. Web-based servers manage the entire system to ensure smooth operation (Hustad et al., 2020). It allows the management to manage the administration effectively by operating multiple systems that are interconnected (Hustad et al., 2020). The process of gathering individual and collective conclusions within a fraction of a seconds, since all transactions are recorded in a centralized database, will be possible through the touch of a button. The EMS software system offers a powerful tool for generating accurate and automated statements in the form of tables and charts when needed.

With EMS software, colleges and universities become transparent to various regulators who are genuinely concerned with their operations. Many organizations, such as the auditing authority, college unions, trustees, and student groups, are included in the list (Katuu, 2021). It is better to generate data using well-tested and designed software than manually processing it (Katuu, 2021). Keeping up to date and maintaining a system will also be easier for the management. Evaluation and appraisal of this system are worthwhile. The installation and implementation of EMS solutions at all levels can improve communication with students (Katuu, 2021). As a result, relationships with students tend to be strengthened. The management can also install a virtual mobile platform, which facilitates learning and interaction. Additionally, students have access to information about admissions, exams, fee payments, and other essential details. As an advantage of using an advanced EMS system, management can set up a secure payment gateway so that monetary transactions such as accepting student fees can be conducted securely.

Analysis and Impact

Several technologies have changed schools in several distinct ways, making a huge difference worldwide in the education sector. Such things include gaming consoles, tapes, fax machines, portable computers and mobile phones, School ERP software, E-learning software, and web technologies (Zadeh et al., 2018). Progress has been inevitable and has served schools well. As a result of modern technology, there are several educational opportunities available for all the partners: students, faculty members, staff, parents, guardians, and members of the school authority (Zadeh et al., 2018). Using software systems specifically designed to address different remedial needs of students, parents, teachers, and staff, the latest technologies have achieved an overall quality of learning by removing geographical and generational gaps for learners. Additionally, these systems have promoted the reduction of final running costs and the opening of student-centered learning. They have actively encouraged students to participate in innovation-driven teaching (Weli, 2021). The most important feature of advanced learning technology is its continuous development and adaptation, which makes learning more efficient, financially savvy, and accessible to the most people possible.

Anyone with a web connection can access web-based programs from anywhere in the world, which is most likely the most significant effect of modern technology in education. Students can access and participate in various online resources from home. Although some aspects of a classroom setup are lost when using these online resources, they are helpful software to supplement educational activities (Rastogi et al., 2021). Most students can solve problems independently; they can share their needs and suggestions, communicate with teachers, and clarify their doubts (Ahn & Ahn, 2020). There are no constraints; parents can share information with any faculty member, see the children’s progress cards online, and monitor their children to ensure their security and safety.

Students can do their homework and improve the quality of their knowledge. According to various types of research, students are better at analyzing and doing homework sent over a network with students. The parents will get notifications and updates about the school and their children (Weli, 2021). Moreover, mentalities toward innovation as a learning and campus managing tool are highly beneficial. Students can complete their schoolwork and enhance their knowledge (Ahn & Ahn, 2020). As per various studies, students are better at analyzing and completing homework distributed via a network of students. In addition, parents will receive notifications and updates about the school as well as their children. Furthermore, attitudes toward innovation as an educational and campus management tool are incredibly beneficial.

Data confidence and accessibility also streamline audits and reporting, dramatically reducing this potential drain on resources. With today’s heightened awareness around cyber and ransomware attacks, organizations need extra security for their proprietary data. Organizations that implement ERP solutions know their data is protected on the cloud, ensuring that the data will not be corrupted and institute continuity will be maintained (Almigheerbi et al., 2020). Before ERP systems, manufacturing operations were run on paper, which would have to go from financing executives to invoices. These operations created an opportunity for human errors that could negatively impact quality, including lost items, misplaced paperwork, and incorrect data entry (Almigheerbi et al., 2020). By having accessible real-time data filed to the cloud, institutes can save time and energy on manual tasks and avoid costly mistakes in reporting.

Proposed Solutions

The study’s findings indicate that school culture elements impact students’ academic achievement, school administration style, and attributes. It is reasonable to believe that the vote-based type of school administration, including some strategic planning for the adequacy of teachers’ work, the viability of various school boards, and interactive school life, promotes a seamless learning experience. The customized interactive Outcome-based LMS brings the right technology fusion to the traditional chalk-and-board model to strengthen the deployment of prime technology in upgrading educational requirements to a global level (Almigheerbi et al., 2020). It offers a user-friendly gateway to a common digital platform for students and teachers to share knowledge and monitor learning trajectories. Its innovative features assist instructors in creating and delivering content under the OBE framework. The following list entails the primary advantages of the OBE-LMS product.

1. Faculty can easily plan and design the curriculum, course content, and assignments using the OBE and Bloom’s taxonomy models.
2. They can build an online e-content repository and deliver it.
3. Can create an online repository for e-content so students can find it before a session for quality learning.
4. Students can easily access study content and performance records and can set milestones and govern their learning.
5. The system promotes teacher-pupil interaction and increases students’ participation in learning sessions.
6. Parents can actively participate in their children’s learning and gain complete insight into their wards’ attendance and performance grades at any time.
7. They can assess their children’s progress using OBE and Bloom’s levels mapping records and can impact them.

iCloudEMS provides a cloud-based Accreditation Management System, an integrable solution for generating, collecting, organizing, and administering all required data and reports in the predefined formats specified by regulatory bodies such as NAAC and NBA. Additionally, it assists institutes in preparing and submitting timely and accurate information for evaluation (Chang & Hsu, 2019). It includes various graphical and analytic tools and collaborative dashboards for tracking data submission progress (Chang & Hsu, 2019). Its main features and benefits include a predefined question set in line with different governing bodies’ criteria that ease entering and governing data for faculty on a centralized platform. Other benefits that might be accrued include:

1. A set of standard utilities and formulas that assists them in generating main and supporting reports for assessments and qualification analysis.
2. Robust reporting tools with a standard formula for generating analysis reports like SER/SAR/AQAR/IQAC/AACSB.
3. Provision of data reviews by concerned authorities, which is essential in the school administration.
4. For several years, innovative templates have been used to streamline the administration of bulk data uploading.
5. A quick multilevel evaluation process for management to benchmark standards and get an accurate picture of the current situation.
6. Automatic and precise results with a few clicks to help governing bodies clarify DVV.

With its versatile Student lifecycle management system, iCloudEMS assists Colleges and Universities in accessing and processing a plethora of information with a couple of clicks, anytime and anywhere throughout all students’ academic journeys. It provides integrated solutions to streamline student recruitment and management for both administration and students, allowing them to save valuable time and energy for more creative goals (Almigheerbi et al., 2020). The following are the primary advantages of the innovative product:

1. Faculty can save time and effort by accessing and processing integrated databases of students ranging from prospective to alums.
2. Using OBE and Bloom’s taxonomy levels mapping, they can easily track and analyze students’ cognitive abilities.
3. Students can efficiently perform fee payments, hall tickets, timetables, and so on by retrieving and updating their required information on a centralized platform only for different uses.
4. With online admission and fee payment tasks, parents can be more relaxed about their children’s learning and other activities.
5. Management can benefit from a technology-driven, transparent ecosystem for quick assessment of accomplishments.

iCloudEMS employs a 360-degree platform that provides unified solutions to the Online Exam Management System and Live Classes services that work on all the complexities of classes and examinations (Usman et al., 2019). These services are essential as they replace cumbersome manual operations involved in digital governance for adequate time and resource planning (Usman et al., 2019). Besides, iCloudEMS offers various advantages when applied in a school-based setting. The following list entails the benefits provided by iCloudEMS to meet the diverse needs of all stakeholders:

1. Faculty can organize interactive LIVE classes with multimedia to increase student engagement.
2. They can quickly generate question papers using extensive question banks and innovative template papers adhering to OBE and Bloom’s taxonomy standards.
3. Virtual examination space with LIVE proctoring preserves examination space integrity and can facilitate exam planning and administration.
4. On-screen evaluation and grading save faculty members time while allowing for quick and flawless assessment and results.
5. Students can benefit from online classes and examination sessions to achieve their learning objectives at their own pace and in their environment.
6. In real time, the administration can plan and manage material and human resources for classes and examinations.
7. Management can get an eagle’s eye view of LIVE’s cyberspace.

Conclusions and Justifications

iCloudEMS is a multi-campus, multi-functional software solution created after extensive research in the education domain. It not only provides cutting-edge performance but also solves the most difficult tasks. It also links various stakeholders, including staff, teachers, students, and parents. It meets all administrative requirements in real time. It simplifies the operation, makes it easier for employees, and makes management more transparent. It not only connects students but also keeps information and data about those students safe, making it easier to track and access. A well-managed educational institution will be able to focus students and staff on academic excellence.” An effective software system produces effective management. Colleges and universities are in desperate need of funding.

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