Managing Assignments in EaseLabs

This guide provides detailed instructions for instructors on how to effectively create, configure, and manage assignments using the EaseLabs platform. Well-structured assignments are key to a successful learning experience.

Introduction to Assignments

Assignments in EaseLabs are the tasks you set for your students to complete, assess their understanding, and help them practice their skills. They are a core component of any Subject. For a general overview of this capability, see the Assignment Management section on our Features page.

Types of Assignments:

EaseLabs typically supports a variety of assignment types to cater to different learning needs, including:

• Coding Exercises: Students write and submit code that can be auto-graded against predefined test cases.
• Theory Questions: These can include multiple-choice, short answer, or essay-style questions to test conceptual understanding.
• Projects: Larger-scale assignments that might involve multiple files, more complex problem-solving, or a combination of coding and theoretical components.

Creating a New Assignment

Follow these steps to create a new assignment:

1. Navigate to Your Subject: First, select the Subject for which you want to create the assignment from your Instructor Dashboard or Subjects list.
2. Access Assignments Section: Within the selected Subject, find the "Assignments" tab or section.
3. Initiate Creation: Click on the "Create New Assignment," "Add Assignment," or similar button.
4. Fill in Assignment Details:
   • Title: A clear and concise title for the assignment (e.g., "Lab 1: Python Basics," "Homework 3: Data Structures").
   • Description/Instructions: Provide comprehensive details about the assignment. This should include:
     • What students are expected to do.
     • Any background information needed.
     • Specific requirements or constraints.
     • How their work will be evaluated (briefly).
   • Type of Assignment: Select the type (e.g., Coding, Theory, Project).
5. Set Deadlines:
   • Start Date/Time (Optional): When the assignment becomes visible and accessible to students.
   • Due Date/Time: The deadline for submissions.
   • Late Submission Policy (if applicable): Specify if late submissions are allowed, any penalties, and the final cutoff date.
6. Define Difficulty Level (Optional): Categorize the assignment by difficulty (e.g., Easy, Medium, Hard) to help students gauge the effort required.
7. Learning Objectives/Tags (Optional): Associate the assignment with specific learning objectives or tags. This helps in tracking curriculum coverage and can be useful for students to understand the purpose of the assignment.

Configuring Coding Assignments

For assignments that involve students writing and submitting code:

• Select Programming Language(s): Specify the allowed programming language(s) for the assignment. Students will be able to submit solutions only in these languages. Our platform offers Multi-Language Support.
• Provide Starter Code (Optional): You can provide students with a template or boilerplate code to help them get started. This is especially useful for complex assignments or when you want students to focus on specific parts of a problem.
• Set Up Test Cases: This is a critical step for automated grading.
  • Automated Tests: Define input values and expected output for various scenarios.
  • Visible Tests: Test cases that students can run their code against to get immediate feedback before final submission. These help students understand if they are on the right track.
  • Hidden Tests: Test cases used for final grading that are not visible to students. These ensure students' solutions are robust and cover edge cases.
  • You can often specify points or weights for each test case.
• Define Execution Limits (Optional but Recommended):
  • Time Limit: Maximum execution time allowed for student code (to prevent infinite loops).
  • Memory Limit: Maximum memory student code can consume.
• Interactive Playground: Students will typically complete coding assignments in an Interactive Playground, an in-browser IDE. Ensure your instructions are compatible with this environment.

Configuring Theory Assignments

For assignments focused on theoretical knowledge:

• Question Types: Depending on the platform's capabilities, you might be able to add:
  • Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs): With single or multiple correct answers.
  • Short Answer Questions: Requiring brief textual answers.
  • Essay Questions: For longer, more detailed responses.
  • Fill-in-the-Blanks: Or other question formats.
• Adding Questions:
  • For each question, type the question text clearly.
  • For MCQs, provide the options and mark the correct answer(s).
  • For short answer or essay questions, you might provide a model answer or key points for manual grading.
• Marking Scheme: Assign points to each question or part of a question.

Managing Existing Assignments

After creating assignments, you can manage them throughout their lifecycle:

• Viewing Assignments: Access the "Assignments" section within a Subject to see all its assignments. You might also have a global view of all assignments across your subjects.
• Editing Assignment Details: Select an assignment to modify its title, instructions, deadlines, test cases, etc. Note that editing an assignment after students have started working on it should be done cautiously and communicated clearly.
• Duplicating Assignments: If you need to create a similar assignment (e.g., for another subject or as a follow-up), look for a "Duplicate" or "Copy" option to save time.
• Publishing/Unpublishing Assignments:
  • Published: Assignments that are visible and accessible to students (respecting any start dates).
  • Unpublished (Draft): Assignments that are hidden from students, allowing you to work on them until they are ready.
• Deleting Assignments: Removing an assignment is usually a permanent action. If students have already made submissions, deleting the assignment might also delete that data. Consider unpublishing or archiving if possible.

Linking to Grading and Submissions

Assignments are intrinsically linked to how student work is evaluated:

• Submission Review: Once students submit their work, you'll review it based on the assignment's requirements. For details, see the guide on Managing Submissions.
• Grading Rubrics: For consistent and transparent grading, especially for complex assignments, you can often define and use grading rubrics. Learn more in our Grading Rubric guide.
• EaseLabs often provides Custom Grading Criteria options that you can associate with your assignments.

Best Practices for Assignments

• Write Clear Instructions: Ensure your assignment instructions are unambiguous, complete, and easy for students to understand. Provide examples if necessary.
• Balance Difficulty: Design a mix of assignments that cater to different skill levels and progressively challenge students. Clearly indicate the difficulty if possible.
• Use Learning Objectives: Connect assignments to specific learning objectives. This helps students understand the purpose of the work and helps you track curriculum coverage.
• Test Your Own Assignments: Especially for coding assignments, run through them yourself (including the test cases) to catch any errors or ambiguities before releasing them to students.
• Provide Timely Feedback: Use the platform's tools to provide feedback efficiently, helping students learn from their submissions.

By mastering assignment management in EaseLabs, you can create engaging and effective learning experiences that accurately assess student capabilities.