GAME: a Generic Automated Marking Environment for programming assessment

In this paper, a Generic Automated Marking Environment (GAME) is proposed for assessing student programming projects and exercises with an aim to facilitate student-centred learning. GAME has been designed to automatically assess programming assignments written in a variety of languages. The system has been implemented in Java and contains marker modules that are tailored to each specific language. A framework has been set in place to enable easy addition of new marker modules to extend the system\´s functionality. Currently, the system is able to mark programs written in Java and the C language. To use the system, instructors are required to provide a simple "marking schema" for any given assessment item, which includes pertinent information such as the location of files and the model solution. GAME has been tested on a number of student programming exercises and assignments providing encouraging results.