automatically grading small programming assignments

[Paddy]

Brian Blais wrote:

> Hello,
>
> I have a couple of classes where I teach introductory programming using Python.  What
> I would love to have is for the students to go through a lot of very small programs,
> to learn the basic programming structure.  Things like, return the maximum in a list,
> making lists with certain patterns, very simple string parsing, etc.  Unfortunately,
> it takes a lot of time to grade such things by hand, so I would like to automate it
> as much as possible.
>
> I envision a number of possible solutions.  In one solution, I provide a function
> template with a docstring, and they have to fill it in to past a doctest.  Is there a
> good (and safe) way to do that online?  Something like having a student post code,
> and the doctest returns.  I'd love to allow them to submit until they get it, logging
> each attempt.
>
> Or perhaps there is a better way to do this sort of thing.  How do others who teach
> Python handle this?
>
It might turn out to be a poor substitute for the personal touch,
especially If they are just starting to program.

- Paddy.