Large cohort sizes in Computer Science courses have necessitated innovative approaches to consistently provide formative feedback to students at scale, encouraging self-directed, independent, and flexible approaches to learning. This study discusses in detail a methodology that leverages industry-strength tooling to provide students with real-time insights into their syntax, functionality, and code style. Through this systematic automation, we achieve authentic assessment whilst providing students with timely feedback on their work in an introductory programming module at a Higher Education (HE) institution. We discuss the implementation of the tool itself, which is designed to be language- and task-agnostic and integrates seamlessly with the learning management system (LMS), whilst demonstrating to students the use of standard tools and best practices in software engineering, such as CI/CD pipelines, version control systems, linters, and testing. Feedback is triggered upon each commit and is typically returned within a few minutes, ensuring near-instant formative assessment.

We give a detailed analysis of student engagement patterns and working habits through data collected by the system, including an investigation into commits and push frequency throughout the duration of the module, as well as pass rates and student attainment, over three consecutive years (N=756). We note an increase in pass rate and commit activity, with students submitting more frequently to receive formative feedback. While similar automatic marking tools exist, our tool offers adaptability across different programming paradigms, and can generate detailed analytics on student engagement trends over time. Our discussion highlights the positive impact on self-directed learning, evidenced by increased student engagement and improved learning outcomes. The integration of such tools in educational settings underscores their role in shifting from traditional assessment models toward a continuous feedback paradigm, that fosters a more iterative and student-centred learning experience.

Keywords: Higher education, authentic assessment, programming, automated assessment, formative feedback, student outcomes, version control systems, critical thinking, problem solving.