Using Web-CAT to improve the teaching of programming to large university classes
Mario G. C. A. Cimino, Giuseppe Lettieri, Giovanni Stea, Lucio Lazzarino · CINECA IRIS Institutial research information system (University of Pisa) · 2013
Recent staff cuts for the Italian university system reduced the teaching manpower, making face-to-face student/teacher interaction all but impossible in large classes (e.g., 100-150 students). On the other hand, new generations of students call for evolved self-learning instruments, and teaching prac-tices need to meet this demand by adopting systems that al-low for short-loop feedback and scalable class management. This paper discusses the adoption of Web-CAT, an open-source computer-assisted teaching software, within the BSc in Computer Engineering at the university of Pisa. We pre-sent in detail the motivations for adopting it, the customiza-tion effort and the expected benefits.