Competency Exams in College Mathematics

Abstract

The idea of competency exams as an integral part of a collegemathematics course started at Northwestern State University because of the move toreform based calculus. Further changes in our curriculum have led to a morewidespread use of competency exams. While implementation of these exams hasbeen successful in our calculus courses and a course for elementary educationmajors, we wish to expand our competency exams into developmental mathematicsand College Algebra. These exams will ensure that our students have basicanalytical skills, while allowing us to maintain reform based courses. We hope touse computer and internet based exams in order to manage a competency examprogram throughout the department. We are currently testing a computer based, self-pacedprogram in one developmental math class. We will report on the process weuse for these exams and the results we have seen from competency exams across themathematics curriculum