I can see the student submissions and slowly watch their scores creep up, which is incredibly rewarding!

Three years ago, we sat down with Eastern University’s experienced educators to talk about their teaching methods and how technology was supporting their work. Greg Longo, Assistant Dean for the School of Mathematics and Computational Sciences, and Jamie Andrews, Director of Graduate Programs and instructor for Machine Learning and Data Manipulation courses, have been using CodeGrade since 2020. (Read our previous case study for more background.) Today, we catch up with them to see how their courses and teaching practices have evolved, and how CodeGrade continues to play an important role in their classrooms!

A Wide Range of Courses

Greg and Jamie have built robust programs that serve both graduate and undergraduate students. Greg oversees several programs, including the undergraduate programs, the MSDS/MSDA degrees along with certificates. His courses, enriched with recorded videos and a mix of programming languages—from Python to C and even R—reflect the diverse needs of computer science and data analytics students alike. Jamie, on the other hand, brings his expertise in machine learning and data manipulation, teaching courses that focus on Python and tools like pandas and numpy. Their long-term use of CodeGrade highlights how well it has supported their teaching needs over the years.

Transformative Growth 

Three years ago, their graduate courses were engaging around 200 students. Today, the numbers speak for themselves: approximately 1,500 graduate students are using CodeGrade, with the platform now supporting an expansive set of courses. Last year, there were approximately 341,000 submissions across 73 courses and 770 assignments, representing an almost unimaginable reduction in grading time. As Greg explains, “It would be literally impossible to handgrade [them].” highlighting the significant efficiency gains achieved over the years. Previously, Greg had noted that grading time was reduced by 50%, when asked if this has changed, he stated that now it’s by 99.999%! 

How Student Outcomes Have Improved

For both Greg and Jamie, CodeGrade has been a game changer in freeing up valuable instructional time. In undergraduate classes, where students often need additional guidance, the automation of grading means instructors can focus more on teaching and direct interaction during office hours. “It frees up a lot of time to do actual instructing and less nitty gritty code stuff,” Greg notes. 

This efficiency, in turn, has led to improved student outcomes in coding proficiency and engagement. The platform’s capacity to allow multiple submissions encourages students to debug and learn from their mistakes—a point that Jamie echoes: “In week one of my courses, there are lots of questions about debugging. By week seven, they’re much more comfortable with it.”

This iterative learning process also provides instructors with a clear window into student progress. Jamie added, “I can see the student submissions and slowly watch their scores creep up, which is incredibly rewarding.” The ability to review every submission not only assures quality teaching but also creates an environment where students are encouraged to self-correct before seeking further help.

Key Features Driving the Change

Both educators appreciate the continuous improvements made to CodeGrade over the past years. Greg is particularly impressed with the speed of auto-tests and the system’s caching capabilities. “The speed that the auto tests run, especially for the larger ones, has been really nice. We used to have to chop down data sets to get the tests to work,” he remarks. Moreover, the ability to render notebooks and insert inline comments has streamlined feedback in ways that email exchanges never could.

Jamie highlighted the transition from CodeGrade version one to version two as a pivotal upgrade. “The drag and drop snippets in version two have been a huge help,” he says. This intuitive design has empowered more instructors to create and manage assignments, reducing the burden on a small group of tech-savvy educators and enabling a more distributed approach to course management.

Support has also played a crucial role in their experience with CodeGrade. Jamie recounted several instances where a quick response via email or Discord made a significant difference during critical teaching moments. “Whenever I email for support, I get a response back quickly,” he shares. Greg echoed this sentiment, noting that CodeGrade has consistently listened to their needs and implemented features that directly impact their courses.

Teaching with CodeGrade: A Long-Term Perspective

Reflecting on their years using CodeGrade, both Greg and Jamie remain highly positive about the platform. “You guys aren’t just sitting around—you're constantly improving things,” Greg notes. The improvements in speed, handling of larger files, and ease of assignment setup have all contributed to making their teaching experience smoother. “There’s no negative to it,” Greg adds.

For any educator considering CodeGrade, Jamie sums it up simply: “It just makes sense.” Their continued partnership with CodeGrade is proof that when educators have the right tools, they can focus on what matters most—helping students succeed.