CHAPTER 3: CORE SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE, DATA MODELS, AND ENTITY RELATIONSHIPS
3.1 Chapter Introduction
This chapter represents the technical core of the entire system documentation. While previous chapters established context and rationale, this chapter defines what the system is made of at a structural level.
Written as advanced developer documentation, this chapter formally specifies:
Every workflow, interface, and feature described in later chapters is derived from the models defined here.
3.2 High-Level System Architecture Overview
At a conceptual level, the system architecture is organized into four tightly coordinated layers:
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This layered approach ensures separation of concerns while enabling controlled data flow between layers.
3.3 Core Identity Entities
3.3.1 Student Entity
The Student entity represents a registered learner within the institution.
Key attributes include:
Rules:
3.3.2 Lecturer Entity
The Lecturer entity represents an academic staff member authorized to teach course units.
Key attributes include:
Rules:
3.3.3 Administrator Entity
The Administrator entity represents system governance roles.
Administrators:
They do not generate academic data.
3.4 Academic Structure Entities
3.4.1 Faculty and Department Entities
Faculties and departments are modeled as organizational reference entities.
They:
3.4.2 Programme Entity
The Programme entity defines a structured academic pathway.
Attributes include:
A programme determines:
3.4.3 Course Unit Entity
The Course Unit is the central operational entity of the system.
Attributes include:
All teaching, learning, and assessment activities are unit-bound.
3.5 Enrollment and Assignment Entities
3.5.1 Unit Enrollment
Represents the relationship between a student and a course unit.
Rules:
3.5.2 Teaching Assignment
Defines the relationship between lecturers and units.
Rules:
3.6 Learning and Activity Entities
3.6.1 Lecture Session
Represents a single teaching event.
Attributes include:
3.6.2 Attendance Record
Links a student to a lecture session.
Attendance records are immutable once validated.
3.6.3 Assessment Entity
Represents graded or ungraded academic tasks.
Assessment results feed both grading and Skill DNA systems.
3.7 Skill DNA Data Model
Skill DNA is implemented as a separate analytical model.
Entities include:
Skill data is:
3.8 Core Entity Relationship Diagram (Textual Representation)
STUDENT
v
PROGRAMME
v
COURSE UNIT <----> LECTURER
v
LECTURE SESSION
v
ATTENDANCE RECORD
v
SKILL DNA RECORD
This diagram illustrates the primary data flow relationships.
3.9 Data Integrity and Constraints
The system enforces:
These constraints protect institutional credibility.
3.10 Areas of Extension
Potential extensions include:
3.11 Areas for Optimization
Identified optimization points include:
3.12 Open Design Discussions
Topics flagged for controlled evolution:
3.13 Chapter Summary
This chapter defined the core architecture, data models, and entity relationships that form the backbone of the ILMS.
The next chapter describes system workflows and user interactions built on top of these models.