GitHub in the Classroom: Lessons Learnt

Abstract

The decision as to whether or not, and how, to use a Version Control System (VCS) in teaching is complex to make. There are a number of use cases for how a VCS can be used in teaching, there are several VCSs, each VCS has a variety of options for how to access them, each has a number of third-party support systems, and all combinations have different benefits, costs, and challenges. At University of Auckland, we have made significant use of Git and related systems (especially GitHub and GitHub Classroom). In this paper, we offer the lessons we have learned from our collective experience. While we by no means cover all of the possibilities, we hope that instructors considering the use of VCSs, in particular Git, will find the lessons we have learned helpful in making their decisions regarding how to use VCS in teaching.