Development and Evaluation of Classroom Schedule Generator (CSG): An Expert System Using Microsoft Visual Basic

Charlemagne  G. Laviña,

Development and Evaluation of Classroom Schedule Generator (CSG): An Expert System Using Microsoft Visual Basic

Discipline: Computer Science, Information Technology

Abstract:

Expert systems are beginning to make a major impact on the way people in the business community make decisions. A knowledge-based and expert system relies on a knowledge base that is filled with “rules of thumb” (intuition, judgment, and inferences) about a specific area. Humans can use the knowledge-based system and the IF-THEN rules in the knowledge base to help them solve a particular problem. Expert systems are the most sophisticated implementation of a knowledge-based system. Once the knowledge of one or more human experts has been entered to an expert system’s knowledge base, users can tap this knowledge by interacting with the system in much the same way they would interact with a human expert in that field. Both the user and the computer-based expert system ask and respond to each other’s question until a problem is resolved.

This study was conducted to determine the different approaches in preparing classroom schedules and develop an expert system called Classroom Schedule Generator (CSG) that would automatically prepare classroom schedules per course subject to availability of rooms. The descriptive - comparative method of research was used in the study. Interviews and observations were made from five universities / colleges in determining the different strategies in preparing classroom schedules. The strategies and techniques in classroom schedule preparation were then captured and converted into an expert system called Classroom Schedule Generator (CSG).