Course scheduling using Modified Genetic Algorithm in vocational education

Course scheduling (or timetabling) on a university is a routine activity that happened every semester and a process to apply event that consisted of lecturing and class components on a time slot that consisted of time and space components. Problems that often occurred on scheduling are a crash between one timetabling with another. This scheduling process involves course time, classrooms, lecturers, and students, so the four main elements of constraint must be resolved. Faculty of Vocational Studies is a new faculty in Airlangga University (UNAIR) which runs 21 diploma courses. With the large number of courses that are managed, college scheduling is a complex issue. This research aims to make computer applications to solve course scheduling problems. To obtain course schedule, Modified Genetic Algorithm (MGA) is used. MGA is a genetic algorithm that scheme selection, crossover, and mutation strategy is modified. It also uses a replacement strategy, in order to avoid local optima, fulfill constraint and discover optimal solution efficiently. Based on the evaluation system, it can be concluded that all the features in the course scheduling information system of Faculty of Vocational Studies UNAIR has been running well and properly, and can be received by users.