private function getType($type) { if ($type == 'LEC') { return CourseType::where('name', 'Lecture')->first(); } else { if ($type == 'TUT') { return CourseType::where('name', 'Tutorial')->first(); } else { if ($type == 'LAB') { return CourseType::where('name', 'Lab')->first(); } else { return CourseType::firstOrCreate(['name' => $type]); } } } }