Changing assessment methods: New rules, new roles

Over the past 20 years, the use of Computer Algebra Systems (CAS) has helped with the teaching of mathematics in engineering schools. However the traditional use of CAS only in math labs has led to a narrow view by the student: the CAS is an additional work, not included in the learning process. The didactic guidelines of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) propose a new teaching-learning model based on competencies. We suggest the use of the CAS be adapted to the new rules. In this paper, we present a model for the integrated use of the CAS, and we describe and analyze two experiments carried out in the academic year 2011-2012. Our analysis suggests that the use of CAS in all learning and assessment activities has the potential to positively influence the development of competencies. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.