Volume 7, Issue 5, May – 2022 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology

ISSN No:-2456-2165

BSCS Online Graduate Tracer

Cherly B. Sardovia
North Eastern Mindanao State University,
Tandag City, Philippines

Abstract:- This online graduate tracer study is mainly a I. INTRODUCTION

survey anticipated to trace graduates and to test the level
of efficacy of the developed system. To obtain the Advancement of technology today is amazing. It brings
information needed an adopted questionnaire from the wonders in almost all aspects of everyday living of human
Surigao del Sur State University (SDSSU)-Research life. Online registration not only improves efficiencies and
office was utilized. The instrument used to evaluate the eliminates unnecessary paperwork but also maximizes
level of efficacy was the 19-item modified questionnaire participation and improves marketing capabilities while
from an online GTS. allowing participants to sign-up when and where it is most
convenient for them from any Internet-enabled
The study endeavored to trace the BSCS computer. Hence, this Online Tracer study is made to
graduatesof Surigao del Sur State University, Tandag encourage Surigao del Sur State University to solve
Campus in order to measure the employability rate and complex problems on the programs offered and most
to test the level of efficacy of an Online Graduate Tracer especially on the employability of alumni. This is a kind of
System. evaluation that is common to all Higher Educational
Institutions in order to trace the graduates’ skills in their
Convenience sampling technique was used to jobs. A tracer study is the process used by the researcher.
identify the number of respondents, since only those Using this process Schomburg (2003), noted that graduate
graduates available online and has completed the survey surveys provide qualitative-structural data on employment
information were counted as respondents. Cochran’s and career for the analysis of the relation between higher
formula was used in computing the sample size, the education and work.
researcher used a margin of error of 8.55% with 95%
confidence interval. Now, to get the sample size for each Surigao del Sur State University (SDSSU) –Main
year, the researcher used proportional allocation. Campus was manually undertaking a graduate tracer study,
as a way of understanding the relevance and quality of
Results revealed that out of 100 respondents, 79 or programs offered by the institution as well as the labour
79% of respondents were employed and 21% were market. There were some difficulties encountered in
unemployed. As to the level of efficiency of the establishing contacts and in retrieving the
developed system it was found “very efficient” both on questionnaires. Some of the respondents are working outside
the effectiveness of the system as whole and user design/ the city and others were too busy so they couldn’t answer or
interface of the system. Therefore, there is need to return the questionnaire as needed.
upgrade the process of tracing graduates from manual to
an online process. This is the very reason of developing a Gathering and collecting the whereabouts of the
system that is simple, reliable, easy to use and graduates do not only aid an institution to evaluate
inexpensive in order to have an updated graduates the quality of education but also helps evaluate the results of
information. the education and training's provided by Surigao del Sur
State University between year 2015-2019
Keywords:- Tracer Study, online graduate tracer,
Employability, Efficacy. Keeping abreast with the emerging trends and to cope
with this new normal situation, the researcher has come up
with the idea of developing a system to find out the fates of
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science (BSCS)
graduates. The researcher proposes an online system to
provide a more convenient, ubiquitous, reliable, and
efficient system. It determines the graduates employability
and assesses the level of efficacy of the developed system. It
is a web-based system that is used to transmit information
and provide real-time statistical data of the employed and
unemployed graduates directly to the server that can be
viewed by the system in-charge / administrator. The
findings of the study served as the basis to improve or
enhance the program offered by SDSSU in order to make
the graduates more responsive to the employment demands.

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Volume 7, Issue 5, May – 2022 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No:-2456-2165
II. FRAMEWORK OF THE STUDY

 Profile of  Efficacy of
Development of
Graduates Online Graduate
Online Graduate
Tracer System Tracer Study

 Graduates
Employability
Rate

 Research Objectives: C. Data Sources

 To identify the Whereabouts of the graduates; Online form and the survey questionnaire was the main
 To identify the employability rate of the BSCS data gathering tool. A questionnaire was sent to the BSCS
graduates; graduates of SDSSU from A. Y. 2015-2019.The adopted
 To test the efficacy of the Online Graduate Tracer. form of SDSSU Graduate Tracer was used.

III. MATERIALS AND METHODS The online distribution of the questionnaire was used
to collect data in order to determine the percentage of
A. Research Design employed and unemployed graduates and to assess the
The study used the descriptive-developmental approach efficacy of the developed system. It is a web-based
to design and develop an Online BSCS graduate tracer application system designed to collect data on graduates. All
system of Surigao del Sur State University from Academic graduates were required to complete the survey using the
Year 2015-2019.The selection of the respondents was done website http://graduatetracer.sdssu.edu.ph. Because this
using convenience sampling technique. Only those who system is done online, it can help to eliminate the problem
were available online can be chosen as respondents. of geographic limitations. The instrument was developed
based on the objectives of the study.
The online survey in tracing the graduates and
gathering information used an adopted questionnaire from The official uploading of the site started in the last week
the Research office of SDSSU. And another modified- of August, 2020 to the December, 2020. It was administered
adopted questionnaire was used to test the effectiveness of personally and sent through Facebook messenger so that the
the developed system. Convenience sampling was deemed graduates can easily fill up the survey form.
appropriate to evaluate the efficacy of the developed system.
D. Statistical Treatment
B. Population The following statistical techniques were used to
The respondents were the BSCS graduates of Surigao del facilitate the interpretation of the collected data.
Sur State University from A. Y. 2015-2019 with the total
population of 415 graduates. Out of 415 graduates only 100 The researcher uses the Cochran’s formula in
respondents answered the survey that serve as the official computing the sample size, with a margin of error of 8.55%
respondents. with 95% confidence interval.

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Volume 7, Issue 5, May – 2022 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No:-2456-2165

Year of Computed Sample Respondents per

Population
Graduation Size year
2015 62 15 13
2016 77 19 5
2017 81 20 15
2018 113 27 35
2019 82 19 32
TOTAL 415 100 100

Table 1: Distribution of Respondents

IV. RESULTS AND FINDINGS the batch 2016 has the fewest. Despite the fact that the
researcher sent the link https://graduatetracer.sdssu.edu.ph/
Table 1 revealed that the official respondents of the to all graduates who have a Facebook account, there were
study are those who were available/active online and still graduates who could not be reached via Facebook
completed the survey form within the time frame; however, messenger because others were not using their real name as
graduates who lacked information were not their official account or they had their Facebook account but
included/counted as respondents. Among the BSCS were not using it.
graduates, the batch 2018 has the most respondents, while

Fig. 1: Respondents Employment Rate (System Generated)

Figure 1 depicts the employment status of graduates by year of graduation. The majority, or 79%, of the 100 respondents
who indicated their employment status were employed, while only 21% were unemployed.

V. DISCUSSION

YEAR EMPLOYED UNEMPLOYED Regular Contractual Job Order Self-employed

2015 13 5 5 3
2016 5 3 1 1
2017 11 4 5 4 2
2018 29 6 16 7 5 1
2019 21 11 12 8 0 1
TOTAL 79 or 79% 21 or 21 % 41 or 41% 25 or 25% 11 or 11% 2 or 0.02%
Table 2: Respondents Employment Status

The respondent's employment status is shown in Table search of work. The table above also describes the status of
2. It can be gleaned that the highest employability rate for the employed graduates; it is shown that 41% of the
graduates in 2018 is 29%, followed by the year 2019 with respondents were employed as regular or permanent
21% employability, but 11% of respondents were employees; once again, the year 2018 received the highest
unemployed in this year. In 2015 and 2016, moreover, all permanent status, followed by the year 2019. In terms of
respondents were employed. However, the findings show contractual employment, 25% of graduates are contractually
that unemployment is generally high among recent employed, with 2019 having the highest contractual
graduates, particularly during this period of new normal, employment. Only 11% were on a job order, and 0.02%
when it is difficult for them to travel to other places in were self-employed.

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Volume 7, Issue 5, May – 2022 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No:-2456-2165
EMPLOYED
YEAR
MALE % FEMALE %
2015 11 24% 2 6%
2016 4 9% 1 3%
2017 6 13% 5 15%
2018 13 29% 16 47%
2019 11 24% 10 29%
TOTAL 45 34
Table 3: Employment Gender Status

The table above shows that out of 79% employed graduates, male graduates have the highest employment rate of 45 or 45%,
compared to female graduates who have a 34% employability rate.The batch of 2018 had the highest male and female
employability rates.

Effectiveness of GTS as a whole system Weighted Mean Interpretation

Online Graduate Tracer System can replace the typical manual 3.03 Very Efficient
distribution of questionnaire.
The system can gather complete and valuable information. 2.91 Very Efficient
The System can generate real-time percentage of employability for 2.83 Very Efficient
fast and accurate result.
Account Authentication and system restriction is employed. 2.83 Very Efficient
Relevant information can be updated anytime. 2.99 Very Efficient
Overall Weighted Mean 2.92 Very Efficient
Table 4: Level of Efficacy of the System

Effectiveness of GTS

Relevant information can be updated anytime.

Account Authentication and system restriction is

employed.
Not Efficient
The System can generate real-time percentage of
Efficient
employability for fast and accurate result.
Very Efficient
The system can gather complete and valuable
Most Efficient
information.

Online Graduate Tracer System can replace the

typical manual distribution of questionnaire.

0 20 40 60 80
No. of Respondents

Fig. 2: Level of Efficacy of the System

Table 4and Figure 2 presents the analysis responses This is because 56 percent of respondents rated "very
based on the overall system effectiveness of the Online efficient," implying that having this form online, regardless
GTS. The responses imply that online information gathering of where the graduates are, is a more efficient tool than the
is an effective means not only in this time of new normal, manual process. It also indicates that using the system
but also because the majority of the graduates have social makes it easier to generate reports because data can be
media accounts that make it easier for them to be traced. downloaded and results can be displayed in real time.

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Volume 7, Issue 5, May – 2022 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No:-2456-2165
Indicators Weighted Mean Interpretation
 The webpage uses frames appropriately. 2.85 Very Efficient
 There were no links within the long documents to other documents. 2.78 Very Efficient
 Links used standard colors. 2.85 Very Efficient
 The webpage/website allows users to access information in
2.85 Very Efficient
determined order.
 It provides users with feedback to wait when significant time delays
2.81 Very Efficient
are required for the program to access information.
 It provides users with information on their progress. 2.86 Very Efficient
 It arranges information in a non-threatening manner so that users are
not overwhelmed by the amount of information contained in a 3.01 Very Efficient
program.
 It provides visual effects to give users visual feedback that choices
2.81 Very Efficient
have been made and registered by the program.
 It integrates the program information across different media types. 2.73 Very Efficient
 It provides information for all media types that are relevant,
appropriate, and valid so that the users will know that the information 2.91 Very Efficient
is credible
 It allows users to search for information across different media types 2.78 Very Efficient
 The format of screens is consistent. 2.86 Very Efficient
 The page layout is used consistently throughout the registration
2.87 Very Efficient
process.
 It provides users with information through icons and message boxes to
2.81 Very Efficient
know where they are in the program.
 The fonts are used consistently. 2.79 Very Efficient
 The font sizes for headings are also used consistently to indicate
2.84 Very Efficient
importance.
 Navigation aids are consistent. 2.8 Very Efficient
 18. It allows contacts with fellow alumnus. 2.82 Very Efficient
 19. It allows users to leave comments and feedbacks 2.98 Very Efficient
Overall Weighted Mean 2.84 Very Efficient
Table 5: System User Interface-Level of Efficacy

Scaling:

1.00 – 1.74 Not Efficient

1.75 – 2.49 Efficient
2.50 – 3.24 Very Efficient
3.25 – 4.00 Most Efficient

With reference to Table 5, the responses on the level of VI. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
efficacy of the developed system are described. The table
depicts that all indicators and the overall weighted mean Based on the study's findings, the following
garnered "very efficient" feedback, asserting that the system conclusions were drawn: According to the report, the online
is user friendly because it has a consistency of screen process is more convenient than the manual process of
formats/layout from the start-up to the end of the registration gathering graduates' data because the survey is simple and
process, including font size, style, and color. Table 5 convenient because it is online. The questionnaire used in
indicates that users have no difficulty using the system the tracer is brief and direct, making it easy for respondents
because they had been guided with system feedbacks if they to complete; thus, the majority of respondents were
failed to respond to the required questions and a progress persuaded to respond.
bar so that graduates can access information in a
predetermined order. Because it used real-time data to generate the results
for employed / unemployed graduates and the summary of
the graduates profiling, the data collected is easily analyzed
and retrieved. Because the tracer form is online, it is
inexpensive or paperless. The findings revealed that the
system was a very efficient, fast, accurate, and dependable
data collection tool because graduates could contact their
alma mater no matter where they have been. Then it is
recommended that the BSCS Online Graduate Tracer be

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Volume 7, Issue 5, May – 2022 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No:-2456-2165
used or implemented in the college for annual updates on
graduates.

This study also revealed that while some graduates

were employed, there is a percentage of graduates who are
not currently employed and have never been employed. As a
result, the department must maintain connections with
various government agencies and non-governmental
organizations (NGOs). This may improve statistics
graduates' employability. Among the researchers'
recommendations for improving the marketability of BSCS
programs and the employability of the graduates they
produce is a periodic review of curriculum by academic
leaders, alumni, and industry representatives to ensure that
graduates are equipped with the necessary knowledge and
skills required in the industry.

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