Creation of automated programming assignments using MATLAB Grader

Abstract

In recent years, an increasing amount of automation has been implemented in programming education to reduce the workload for educators and ease the learning process for students. This bachelor’s thesis aims to serve as a guide for course instructors on how to properly develop automated programming assignments. It analyzes the essential factors and specifications involved, with a focus on MATLAB tasks using the MATLAB Grader tool. Additionally, the thesis provides two example task implementations to demonstrate the findings and to serve as a basis for improving and creating new assignments in the future, thereby enhancing students’ learning experiences.

A large number of requirements and constraints that the assignment tasks needed to adhere to were gathered, setting a solid foundation for future assignment tasks. Eighteen main steps of the task development process were identified to serve as a checklist when creating new assignments. These steps are not limited to the specific course or software used but can be implemented in broader contexts.