StepsToLearning database design

E

Evi

I want to design a database to record steps to learning a subject
So far, I've got (basically)

TblStudent
StudentID
SFirstName
SLastName
etc

TblSubject
SubjID
Subject eg Driving a car


TblAim
AimID
AimNum
Aim eg Starting the car, stopping a car, driving on a motorway
SubjID


TblStep
StepID
StepNum
AStep eg Locating ignition and turning the key, checking the mirror,
indicating etc
AimID

TblStudentStep
SSID
StudID
StepID
StepStartDate - date student first tackled this step
StepMasteredDate date


Now comes the bit I'm unsure about

I suspect I need
TblStudentSubject
so I can record when he first enrolled for the subject, when he graduated
and with what grades he graduated
So would StudID also be in here?

Would I also need StudID in
TblStudentAim
So I can record stuff when he achieved his aim.

What are your opinions or recommendations?

Evi
 
F

Fred

Dear Evi,

I think that the Rosetta stone on this is defining exactly what your
"subject" table is. Or more to the point, that you may be trying to make it
do the job of 2 tables:

- Table which is list of subjects. One record per subject. PK =
"SubjectID"

- An "Enrollment" table which has a record for each instance of a person
taking / enrolling in a subject. This would have StudID, EnrollmentID and
SubjectID fields plus all "once per enrollment" information including
"when he first enrolled for the subject, when he graduated and with what
grades he graduated" as you described. ("SubjectID" is really just a lookup
/ abbreviation situation)

Then your "Aim" table would have fields to link it to your "Enrollment"
table and "Step" table.

I think that you already 3/4 figured this out and that your
"tblStudentSubject" table is my "Enrollment" table.

Good luck!

Sincerely,

Fred
 
E

Evi

On second thoughts though, the aims and the steps to achieving them would
not be different for each student.
A Course would have a scheme of work which would be standard for that
subject. Any student who signed up for Maths would have the same Aims and
the same steps to achieving those aims. What would be different is how, when
and if each student covered each of those steps and achieved his Aims

So if I had to record the way each student mastered or didn't master each
step in the learning process, Id need another table, wouldn't I? How would
that work?


Evi
 
F

Fred

Hello Evi,

I think that the foundation is nailing down the fine points of:

1. the extant objects (subjects, aims steps etc.)

As I understand it these are the things you've already explicity said plus:

- Each subject is presumed to have it's own unique set of aims
- OK to have aim each entry dedicted to one particular subject
- Each aim is presumed to have it's own unique set of steps
- OK to have each step entry dedicted to one particular aim

2. Your mission which I understand to be:

- Document which steps are in which aims, and which aims are in each course
- Record details singly & directly associated with Students, Subjects, Aims,
Steps (like the description of each)
- Record a specific set of a few details (e.g. grade, date completed)
associated with instances of a student enrolling in a subject.

(I think that what we discussed already will accomplish everything up to
here)

- Record information directly and singly associated with each instance of a
student completing a step. You siad recording "way"....not sure what that
specifically means, but I'm assuming that it might be just that they competed
that step or the date that they completed.

I believe that this last item would call for a new table which has a record
for each instance of a student completing a step.


Sincerely,

Fred

PS: I may be good at this stuff, but I have been learning from your other
posts because you know coding better than I do and are good at explaining it.
Thanks!
 
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