Design and Implementation of a Web-Based Lecture Timetable Scheduling System

Abstract

Timetable management is a controversial but core administrative activity at tertiary learning institutions, normally saturated with timetabling clashes, resource wastage, and communication breakdowns. This study describes the development and validation of a Web-Based Lecture Timetable Scheduling System (WLTSS) for Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU) Department of Computer Science. The system was implemented to automatically and effectively build, modify, and publicize lecture timetables. On Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), JavaScript, and React as frontend technologies, the system provides an adaptable interface with real-time data updates through the Reacts component model foundation. MySQL and Node.js are used to run the back end with proper data manipulation, timetabling clash detection, and proper administration user access management. To showcase the system performance, comprehensive stress tests were performed, and good performance was observed at 500 concurrent users, with an overall response time of approximately 1.1 seconds. Test statistics also indicated an 87% success rate of load-simulated requests with all failures resulting from the modelled network timeout and database contentions. The results demonstrated the reliability and scalability of the operation of this system. The user feedback collected through questionnaires also confirmed greater satisfaction and usability with this new automated scheduling process than with conventional scheduling by hand. By minimizing clashes of classroom assignments, instructors, and lecturers, WLTSS significantly enhances administrative effectiveness and improves communication between students and lecturers. In addition to reducing administrative burden, the system provides transparency and adaptability in scheduling lectures. Future evolution will include integration with scheduling algorithms through AI, managing user preferences, and a dedicated app for smartphones to further increase functionality and end-user accessibility.