"I’ve kind of championed it in my program primarily because it’s very versatile"

Dr. Marwan Rasamny has been at the forefront of programming education at Delaware State University, where he teaches many of the foundational courses in computer science. Over the years, he has experimented with different tools to support programming assignments, but none quite met the needs of his courses.

The Challenge

"I was using another tool primarily for our first Python course, but we were having a lot of problems with it. It was limited to Python, authoring work was difficult, and there were limitations," Dr. Rasamny recalls. "In some of my classes, I had to manually grade assignments just because it wasn’t possible to automate them. It was much more difficult."

Now, he uses CodeGrade across multiple courses, from introductory Python to advanced Java and networking. "I’ve kind of championed it in my program primarily because it’s very versatile," he says. "So, I’m using it for absolutely every class I have that involves programming."

Reducing Student Frustration with Instant Feedback

One of the biggest benefits has been the ability to create tests that students can run before submitting their code. "It’s very systematic now. In my Java and Python classes, I have unit tests for them to run against before submission. It reduces frustration, and they know if they’ve got everything working before they submit."

Another game-changer has been using CodeGrade in exams. Before, administering coding exams under a lockdown browser was nearly impossible. Students would have to exit the lockdown environment, code on their laptop, and then submit—but that meant they could go anywhere online and grab code. "Now, with the built-in editor, they can code within the environment while staying locked down.” The difference in student performance has been significant.

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Collaboration and Consistency Across Faculty

Beyond grading automation, CodeGrade has also streamlined collaboration among faculty. Dr. Rasamny can author an assignment and share it quickly with other faculty teaching the same course, ensuring consistency across sections. This has been particularly useful in large introductory courses, making content distribution faster and more efficient.

Though Dr. Rasamny doesn’t use all the features, he appreciates how the grading interface helps him provide feedback efficiently. He explains how easy it is to go through students’ code, jot down notes, and discuss common mistakes in class. The ability to quickly click through code makes it a great tool for identifying and addressing learning gaps. 

On top of that, CodeGrade’s support has stood out. "It’s immediate. It’s really fast. I can’t keep up with them!" he says.

A More Structured Learning Experience

By integrating CodeGrade, Delaware State University has made grading more efficient while also creating a more structured and supportive learning environment for students. With streamlined testing, improved exam processes, and accessible feedback, programming courses are even more cohesive and engaging.

To read about how Dr. Rasamny sets up his Data Structures course, click here!