Computer infrastructure represented in the Croatian educational system is rather developed nowadays. It would be necessary to develop an integral information system (IIS) within the competent Ministry (Ministry of Science, Education and Sports) for the purpose of more efficient and high-quality management of the educational process itself as well as process control. In this paper by the proposed database “Students’ achievements in high school and thereafter” we describe a possible model of data acquisition, processing and display of results. The data in question (grades and absence from classes – as the output of the educational system) are processed in schools at the end of each semester (analysis of students’ achievements after each semester), but they disappear with time. By using a web-application homeroom teachers would be able to feed the data on students’ achievements into the IIS in just 2-3 days for more than 500 schools in Croatia, and in that way “time series” of data on achievements would be created. Such database would contribute to better management in education. To scientists dealing with this field of research it would offer “easily attainable and relevant data” for their research that would improve the system itself.educational system, students’ achievements, high school and thereafter

Ana Hajdic

Branislav Oreskovic

Marko Baotic

English

Research Papers in Economics

420 Branislav Ore{kovi}, Ana Hajdi}, Marko Baoti}
DATABASE – STUDENTS’ ACHIEVEMENTS IN HIGH
SCHOOL AND THEREAFTER
Branislav Oreškovi}, Ana Hajdi}, 
Marko Baoti}
Abstract:
Computer  infrastructure  represented  in  the  Croatian  educational  system  is
rather developed nowadays. It would be necessary to develop an integral informa-
tion system (IIS) within the competent Ministry (Ministry of Science, Education
and Sports) for the purpose of more efficient and high-quality management of the
educational process itself as well as process control. In this paper by the proposed
database “Students’achievements in high school and thereafter” we describe a pos-
sible model of data acquisition, processing and display of results. The data in que-
stion (grades and absence from classes – as the output of the educational system)
are processed in schools at the end of each semester (analysis of students’ achieve-
ments after each semester), but they disappear with time. By using a web-applica-
tion homeroom teachers would be able to feed the data on students’ achievements
into the IIS in just 2-3 days for more than 500 schools in Croatia, and in that way
“time series” of data on achievements would be created. 
Such database would contribute to better management in education. To scien-
tists dealing with this field of research it would offer “easily attainable and relevant
data” for their research that would improve the system itself. 
1.  Introduction
In the @upanja High School, where I have been working as a computer scien-
ce teacher for the last seven years and where I used to be a student as well, there is
no unique database that would comprise data on students, teachers, grades, perso-
nal information, extracurricular activities, and students' achievements upon high
school completion.
Only from my generation of high-school students there are people who were
or still are top scientists. surgeons, sportspeople, etc.
This information has not been recorded anywhere in the school that was esta-
blished some 50 years ago, and even today we cannot get any information concer-
ning their achievements in relation to school, extracurricular activities, as well as
further education and employment.
Grade books and attendance registers were removed from school archives long
time ago so that there is no possibility of getting any relevant data.421 DATABASE – STUDENTS’ ACHIEVEMENTS IN HIGH SCHOOL AND ...
Every school, its teachers and students, cities having such schools should be
extremely proud of such former students of theirs.
With respect to the former economic and computer education as well as busi-
ness policy, my aim was to make all subjects interested in this matter, and at the
same time to make this concept a sound fundamental ground for the development
of the students’database, that would be standardized for all primary and secondary
schools in the Republic of Croatia.
Such  standardized  integral  school  database  would  provide  interesting  and
important information very quickly and with minimum costs to the school itself,
students, teachers, and the competent Ministry.
Through such reports related to time series in the last five to ten years we
would be able to discover many trends in schools regarding education.
Following my database drafts, a high-school senior Dalibor Oršoliæ contribu-
ted to this paper by creating a concrete database in Access, with test data referring
to two departments, within which one class was selected.
2. Monitoring school achievements in the last 5 years 
In the @upanja High School students' achievements were mostly recorded in
grade books, that used to be placed in school archives at the end of every school
year. Upon completion of each semester homeroom teachers would prepare tables
referring to achievements of both every student individually and the class in gene-
ral, where they would specify students' achievements in every particular subject,
their overall success, number of periods they were absent from school, and calcula-
te a grade point average for every subject, every student and the class in general. The
whole  procedure  requested  a  lot  of  manual  work.  Neither  computers  nor  any
modern software such as e.g. Excel were not used.
Five years ago computer equipment in the school consisted of 8 PCs 486,
without any access to the Internet. Secretary’s office and accounting office were not
equipped with computers. Salaries were calculated by means of simple calculators. 
Two years ago the then Ministry of Education and Sports equipped a modern
computer classroom in the school with 17 computers (Pentium 4) that were net-
worked, and connected to the Internet via LAN. Old computers became part of the
administration office equipment.
Bookkeeping and calculations of salaries are now done by means of compu-
ters. Secretary’s office has a computer connected to the Internet. Following the
needs  of  teachers  in  the  school,  last  year  the  staffroom  was  equipped  with  an
Internet connected computer and a printer.
Guidance counsellor’s office has also a modern PC with a laser printer and the
access to the Internet.422 Branislav Ore{kovi}, Ana Hajdi}, Marko Baoti}
A year ago the Ministry donated to the school an LCD projector for presenta-
tions of graphical data. In addition to the donation of a modern computer classroom,
the Ministry also donated 120 free Internet hours to students every month. In the last
five years school’s computer trained personnel comprised two BS holders in com-
puter science, one of whom is both computer science teacher and school’s guidan-
ce counsellor.
The level of computer literacy of both teaching and non-teaching staff has been
increased, but it has not reached a satisfactory level yet. The gap between increas-
ingly computer literate students and their illiterate or semi-literate teachers deepe-
ned gradually and it was noticed by the competent Ministry. 
Last year the Ministry equipped the computer classroom with an air-conditio-
ning unit, so that this classroom is still the only air-conditioned classroom in the
school.
Last year an Excel software was created that automatically recalculates GPA,
various  cumulative  data  and  other  necessary  calculations  concerning  students’
achievements and absences from school. Those are simple databases. There is no
possibility of getting synthetic data at the department and school level. Both possi-
bilities of going back to a certain period in the students’education and those of con-
necting the data in time series are limited. There is no unique database referring to
students and teachers and their joint achievements.
3. Analysis of the present situation
3.1. Equipment
At the moment the @upanja High School is well equipped. Inconsiderable
investments would be necessary in order to reach the optimum regarding hardware.
Computers that are not in the computer classroom are not networked, and that
should be done in near future.
In addition to the computer classroom that is completely equipped, there are
computers in accounting office, secretary’s office, and guidance counsellor’s office.
The High School has one laptop, which is in headmaster’s office.
3.2. Software
Based upon the contract between the Ministry and Microsoft the @upanja High
School has all versions of Microsoft products. 
It also has its own web page www.gimnazija-zupanja.hr created by students
good at computer science.
Concerning business software, the school uses a program for salary calculation
and another one for finance matters.423 DATABASE – STUDENTS’ ACHIEVEMENTS IN HIGH SCHOOL AND ...
Within the guidance counsellor’s office there is a program written in Excel and
used for the calculation of students’ achievements at the semester end (a simple
database). Data relative to students, teachers and students’achievements are not sto-
red in relational databases, wherefrom they could be searched and processed via
network.
3.3. Organization
The High School has two departments. Science and mathematics program high
school comprises four classes, whereas general program high school has twelve
classes. The classes take place in two shifts. There are 30 teachers and some non-
teaching staff.
Grade books and attendance registers make the administration basis for stu-
dents. Information on teachers is available at the secretary’s office, the accounting
office and the competent Ministry.
The Ministry does not have any integral database that would synthesize data
relative to the overall success of students and their teachers at the level of the
Republic  of  Croatia,  although  almost  all  primary  and  secondary  schools  are
equipped with computers, ISDN, Internet. The organizational scheme of schools is
mostly  of  traditional  character  (ordinary  mail,  fax),  although  the  competent
Ministry sends a lot of instructions and information to schools by e-mail.
4.  Proposal of the optimum solution (students’ database)
In addition to the above-mentioned proposal regarding networking all scholl
computers, another organizational proposal would refer to an integral database con-
taining relevant information on about students, teachers and their achievements in par-
ticular semesters. Design and development of any database is a time-consuming job.
Thinking about activities in the educational process, subjects in the teaching
process, and the way how students’achievements are recorded today, I have reached
the following proposal.
Relational database would be made up of 11 simple tables. These would be:
teachers,  classes,  students’ activities,  subjects,  students,  competitions,  grades,
departments, schools and thereafter.
These tables would be mutually connected by relations enabling interdepend-
ency of data from different tables, which furthermore enables numerous queries
concerning the database as well as many interesting reports. 
Input would be done through such forms that could simultaneously be used for
table searching, changing and searching according to certain criteria. 
Data queries can be divided into the following groups: school in general and
departments, particular classes, students and teachers. Some standard reports can
also be put at the same levels: school, departments, class, student, and teacher. 424 Branislav Ore{kovi}, Ana Hajdi}, Marko Baoti}
Every table has its primary key. It is usually a code. It is the relations that ena-
ble numerous quick queries and reports.
In the organizational scheme of schools the competent Ministry already has
codes for schools, and it is connected with all schools via modems.
A possible proposal would be that this school database becomes a standard for
all schools in the Republic of Croatia, but at the same time the input of data for the
database of the overall educational system in the Republic of Croatia.
Assuming that the competent Ministry has synthetic data on students’ achie-
vements (received from schools as forms filled in after each semester), we can pre-
sume that is insufficient for some high-quality analyses of students’achievements.
Such  records  are  not  sufficient  for  some  deeper  and  more  comprehensive
research, and especially for the research into some regularities in the educational
process. 
Data on grades, absences, awards, measures against students, results from
competitions,  homeroom  teachers’ remarks,  etc.  can  be  easily  collected  from
schools via modems to the competent Ministry’s server, where there would be the
central integral database of all schools in the Republic of Croatia.
According to the law of large numbers, trends in particular educational cate-
gories could be detected in time and with certainty, which would then lead to the
improvement of management in education and a decision-making basis of high
quality.
5.  Database structure and updating 
5.1. Schematic diagram 
5.2. Database updating
Key persons important for updating the database are homeroom teachers in
secondary schools.
The obligatory records homeroom teachers keep make a sound basis for the
input and change of data in the database. 
Homeroom teachers are able to make necessary corrections in the database
referring to further achievements after students finish their secondary school edu-
cation, since they keep meeting with their former classes on the occasion of reu-
nions. 
Every  homeroom  teacher  would  get  his/her  password  by  means  of  which
he/she could be able to update the database with the information relevant to only
his/her present or former students.425 DATABASE – STUDENTS’ ACHIEVEMENTS IN HIGH SCHOOL AND ...
Figure 1.  Relationships426 Branislav Ore{kovi}, Ana Hajdi}, Marko Baoti}
Photoes of high-school graduates could be saved in the database as well. 
Input and changes would be fed twice a year, once after each semester.
At the moment, homeroom teachers enter these data into Excel tables, in order
to obtain averages, sums, percentages, in relation to students, subjects, grades, and
absences. 
Students’database should have a possibility of access via network. That would
enable homeroom teachers to simultaneously update the database from computers
at different locations (computer classroom has 17 networked computers).
5.3. Queries of interest
School:
- How many students fail
- How many students have two failing grades
- How many students failed and had to reattend the same class
- How many students have all grades excellent (all subjects graded A)
- Names of A-students in particular subjects (select a subject)
- Students who have more than 6 unexcused absences
- Students who did not take the school-leaving examination in the last (type 
in how many years)
- Students who withdrew from school in the last (type in how many years)
- Subject most students fail
- Students who participated in state competitions in the last (type in how 
many years)
- Advisors who participated in state competitions in the last (type in how 
many years)
- Number of students in each department
- Number of students in each class
- Department grade point average
- Class grade point average
- A-students in departments and classes
- Simultaneous GPA for different departments
Class:
- Class grade point average in the last (select 1-4) years
- Subject with the highest GPA
- Subject most students fail
- Students according to the number of absences from classes427 DATABASE – STUDENTS’ ACHIEVEMENTS IN HIGH SCHOOL AND ...
- Students according to the number of unexcused absences from classes
- Number of absences per student
Student:
- Student’s grades for each subject (for one school year)
- Student’s absences (excused/unexcused)
- Grades for the period (1-4) for a particular subject
- Student’s grade point average for period (1-4)
- Student’s personal data
- Homeroom teacher’s remarks about a student
5.4. Reports of interest
School:
- Report on the overall success of the class
- Report on the grade point average for the class
- Report on the grade point average for individual subjects
- Report on the number of failing grades for individual subjects
- Report on the number of A grades for individual subjects
- Report on the number of absences for every class
- Report on the number of unexcused absences for every class
- Report on students and advisors according to subjects that were represented in 
county competitions during the school year
- Report on students and advisors according to subjects that were represented in 
national competitions during the school year
- First 20 students according to their achievements
Class:
- Report on the overall success of the class classified according to subjects and stu
dents
- Report on the number of absences per each student
- Rank-list of average grades per subjects for all classes
Student:
- Report on student’s overall success for the school year
- Student’s personal data
- Report on homeroom teacher’s remarks about a student6. Database instruction manual
The database is made in Access. By clicking on the icon placed on the desk-
top a Microsoft Access software is activated, which enables us to work with rela-
tional databases, then the students’database is loaded into the working memory. 
This database is created in such a way that a user is easily led to his/her final
goal through numerous menus. The main menu can be seen in Figure 2.
428 Branislav Ore{kovi}, Ana Hajdi}, Marko Baoti}
Figure 2. Main application menu
made by:
Dalibor Oršoli}, @upanja High School seniorConclusion
If we look at the proposed queries and reports, we can draw a conclusion that
the proposed way of thinking represents a step forward in the past practice in edu-
cation regarding records of achievements, students, teachers, etc. 
We would obtain even better analyses of education if there were an integral
database in the competent Ministry, which would be updated through the Internet
by homeroom teachers (by using a password).
In that way it would be possible to get a complete overview of more than 1,000
primary and secondary schools in the Republic of Croatia in just 2-3 days.
It is possible that certain queries are made through school web pages or even
by students or former students themselves.
On the basis of data from the integral database, according to the law of large
numbers, regularities in the educational system could be detected in time and with
certainty.
Such database would contribute to better management in education, and to
scientists dealing with this field of research it would offer “easily attainable and
relevant data” for their research.
References
Michael Halvorson and Michael Young: Kako koristiti Office 97, Znak, Zagreb, 1998. 
Ivica Kartelo: Access 97, Sjedi i radi 31 aplikacija, Škola E-92 Split
Krešimir Rai}: Ra~unalstvo I, Pentium d.o.o., Vinkovci
429 DATABASE – STUDENTS’ ACHIEVEMENTS IN HIGH SCHOOL AND ...

Kako koristiti Office 97,

Database - Student's Achievements in High School and Thereafter

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