Automated Assignment Grading and Feedback

Medium~10h estimatedEducation

Canvas LMS MCP ServerGitHub MCP Server

The Challenge

Business Problem

Instructors spend 20+ hours per week grading assignments. Feedback is often delayed and generic, reducing its educational value.

The Approach

Solution Overview

Connect Canvas LMS MCP Server with GitHub to automatically run test suites against submitted code, grade based on passing tests, and generate personalized feedback.

Step-by-Step

Implementation Steps

Collect Submissions

Pull assignment submissions from Canvas LMS as they're submitted.

Run Test Suites

Execute automated test suites against each submission in a sandboxed environment.

Generate Grades

Calculate grades based on test results, code quality, and style checks.

async function gradeSubmission(submission) {
  const code = await canvas.getSubmissionAttachment({ submissionId: submission.id });
  const testResults = await runTests(code, submission.assignment.testSuite);
  const grade = (testResults.passed / testResults.total) * 100;
  await canvas.gradeSubmission({ submissionId: submission.id, grade, comment: generateFeedback(testResults) });
}

Deliver Personalized Feedback

Generate specific feedback based on which tests failed and common error patterns.

Code

Code Examples

typescript

Feedback Generator

function generateFeedback(results) {
  const feedback = [];
  for (const test of results.failed) {
    feedback.push(`- ${test.name}: ${test.hint || 'Check your implementation of this requirement'}`);
  }
  return `Score: ${results.passed}/${results.total}\n\nFeedback:\n${feedback.join('\n')}`;
}

Overview

ComplexityMedium

Estimated Time~10 hours

Tools Used

Canvas LMS MCP ServerGitHub MCP Server

Industry

Education

ROI Metrics

Time Saved20 hours/week per instructor

Cost ReductionInstant feedback for students

Efficiency GainConsistent grading across all submissions