An Auto Grading System for Criteria-based Tests in a Computer Competency Course
Abstract: Evaluation of student works is a time consuming process that must be completed within some fixed schedule. When the number of enrollment to a particular course is quite high, it is difficult to grade the students’ works in an efficient and consistent manner. In this paper we describe a method to use an automatic grading software for a computer competency course based on our work in the CSE 101 course at Michigan State University. Tests are taken in the computer lab using Lon-CAPA an online educational content management software. The automated grading software runs on a separate server. An XML file is used to describe the test which is also the basis for the grading criteria. All tests are pass/fail tests. Grading is based on criteria. Students pass the test if they pass all mandatory criteria. The automatic software grader can quickly go through the test and partly determine the status of some of the criteria. The paper shows that the auto graders significantly reduces grading time and has helped us be on time with grading