Experiences in web-based grading

Abstract

This paper describes a project to build a Web-based grading system and reports on experiences in using a Web-based grading system in a sophomore-level course on data structures. The Web-based grading system consists of electronic submission and retrieval programs, automated testing and Web-based evaluation software, Web-based code annotation software, and Web-based report generation software. The software was designed with electronic grading and delivery as the primary objective and with course-based assessment as a secondary objective. In addition, the software provides the means to capture electronic examples of student work for assessment and accreditation purposes and the means to create electronic portfolios for individual students. The results of our experience with the Web-based grading software in a sophomore-level course on data structures are also described. The software system provided a means to examine detailed information on the overall performance of students on programming projects. In particular, the software recorded information concerning the performance of student projects on test cases and recorded the frequency and type of design and documentation errors. This information was used to evaluate the overall performance of students and to identify common errors that merited additional course time and review.