Computer Aided Assessment in Mathematics at Heriot-Watt University

The use of the computer in assessment has been a feature at Heriot-Watt University since 1985 when the CALM Project for Computer Aided Learning in Mathematics began. In those early days we realised quickly, and to our surprise at the time, that students choose freely to take a test to assure themselves of their progress in a course. Indeed, our initial findings revealed that on average students spend twice as long doing tests from the CALM Calculus suite of programs as they do looking at worked examples and trying simulations. The tests involved the use of random parameters to give different numbers in the same type of question and random selection from banks of questions on the topics being tested. The student answered the questions by inputting mathematical expressions which were then marked by comparing these with the true answers held in the computer using a process of evaluation. These tests proved extremely popular with students. Additionally, then, the computer has been employed to provide information to the student as they take tests either in the form of marks, test data like how long did the question take to complete or in the form of advice. Information was also returned to the teacher so that class performance as a whole could be monitored….