Automated assessment system for programming courses: a case study for teaching data structures and algorithms

An important course in the computer science discipline is ‘ Data Structures and Algorithms’ (DSA). The coursework lays emphasis on experiential learning for building students’ programming and algorithmic reasoning abilities. Teachers set up a repertoire of formative programming exercises to engage s...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Educational technology research and development Vol. 71; no. 6; pp. 2365 - 2388
Main Authors: Barczak, Andre L. C., Mathrani, Anuradha, Han, Binglan, Reyes, Napoleon H.
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: New York Springer US 01.12.2023
Springer
Springer Nature B.V
Subjects:
Algorithms
Automation
Case studies
Computer Assisted Testing
Computer programming
Computer science
Computer Science Education
Data Collection
Development Article
Education
Educational Strategies
Educational Technology
Equipment and supplies
Experiential Learning
Feedback (Response)
Formative Evaluation
Learner Engagement
Learning
Learning and Instruction
Pedagogy
Programming
Skill Development
Students
Teachers
Teaching
Teaching Methods
Training
Programming
Formative learning
Pedagogy
Practice-driven learning
Activity theory
Automated assessment
ISSN:1042-1629, 1556-6501
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:An important course in the computer science discipline is ‘ Data Structures and Algorithms’ (DSA). The coursework lays emphasis on experiential learning for building students’ programming and algorithmic reasoning abilities. Teachers set up a repertoire of formative programming exercises to engage students with different programmatic scenarios to build their know-what, know-how and know-why competencies. Automated assessment tools can assist teachers in inspecting, marking, and grading of programming exercises and also support them in providing students with formative feedback in real-time. This article describes the design of a bespoke automarker that was integrated into the DSA coursework and therefore served as an instructional tool. Activity theory has provided the pedagogical lens to examine how the automarker-mediated instructional strategy enabled self-reflection and assisted students in their formative learning journey. Learner experiences gathered from 39 students enrolled in DSA course shows that the automarker facilitated practice-based learning to advance students know-what, know-why and know-how skills. This study contributes to both curricula and pedagogic practice by showcasing the integration of an automated assessment strategy with programming-related coursework to inform future teaching and assessment practice.
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ISSN:1042-1629
1556-6501
DOI:10.1007/s11423-023-10277-2