HWSAM: A Web-based automated homework submission system

A Web-based automated homework submission system has been developed to allow students to submit their homework across the Internet. This system is composed of three modules: a front-end GUI interface module, an online homework submission acceptance module, and a backend GUI interface module. The front-end GUI interface module includes a standard Web browser and a set of CGI programs and HTML documents to interact with the users for prompting them to submit their files. The on-line homework submission acceptance module accepts files received from students and organizes them into hierarchical directory structures based on courses, assignments, and student IDs. The back-end GUI interface is structured similarly to the front-end interface; however, it is to be used by instructors for grading purposes. All homework files submitted will be confirmed in two ways. First, it is confirmed at the time of submission by displaying a message on the screen. Second, it emails the filename to the submitting student for a personal record. Each file received is timestamped automatically at the time of submission by the host operating system. Files of any data type, text or binary can be submitted in the same manner. Ease of use is a major design goal for this system. For students, menus and browse windows are used to navigate the Web pages for submitting homework and checking grades received. The only typing needed is for entering in student names and IDs. For instructors, grading can be done on-line via the HTML forms, or the student files can be downloaded and then graded later. All grades can be reported electronically once the instructor has finished grading the homework submitted.