AN INTELLIGENT CLASSROOM SCHEDULING SYSTEM FOR EFFICIENT SPACE ALLOCATION IN NIGERIAN HIGHER INSTITUTIONS

Abstract

This study examined the intelligent classroom scheduling system for efficient space allocation in Nigerian higher institutions. Two research questions guided the study, and two null hypotheses were formulated and tested at a 0.05 level of significance. A descriptive survey research design was adopted. The population of the study consisted of 978 respondents made up of 756 timetable officers and 222 academic planners from higher institutions in the South-South and South-East geopolitical zones of Nigeria. The sample size was 346 respondents, comprising 209 timetable officers and 137 academic planners, selected using purposive random sampling technique. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire titled “Intelligent Classroom Scheduling System for Efficient Space Allocation Questionnaire (ICSSESAQ)”. The instrument was validated by three experts in the field of educational research. Its reliability was established using Cronbach Alpha, yielding a coefficient of 0.81, indicating that the instrument was reliable for the study. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions, while t-test statistics were used to test the hypotheses. The findings revealed that, to a great extent, an intelligent classroom scheduling system improves classroom space utilization and reduces timetable clashes in Nigerian higher institutions. Based on the findings, the study recommended that higher institutions in Nigeria should adopt and fully implement intelligent classroom scheduling systems to enhance classroom space utilization and minimize timetable conflicts.