The CALM Project for Computer Aided Learning in Mathematics started in the Department of Mathematics at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh in 1985. Heriot-Watt University is a technological university with large groups of engineering, science and business undergraduates on its Riccarton campus. Since 1985, there have been four main phases in the CALM Project:
Phase 1 (CALM1) was funded as part of the Computers in Teaching Initiative. In this initial phase a computerised tutorial was created to replace the conventional tutorial in the teaching of first year Calculus. CALM Calculus software was sold to many other universities both in the UK and abroad.
Further funding from the DTI and British industry in 1990 led to the creation of courseware at the level of Scottish Higher Mathematics. This courseware (CALM2) was written in Authorware and built on many of the routines from the earlier phase of the project. This interactive software was piloted in several Scottish schools and provided background material for first year undergraduates.
In 1995 CALM won the first Bank of Scotland Award to Higher Education for its innovative teaching of Mathematics. The prize money of £30k enabled the team to build two CDs entitled Interactive PastPapers for A Level/Higher Mathematics and GCSE/Standard Grade Mathematics published in 1997 and 1998 respectively.
CUE is the current system developed by the CALM project. It includes a flexible assessment engine and is capable of delivering tests on a PC or over the web. CUE is providing assessment in the SCHOLAR Project and as a testing program for a leading UK Examination Board based in Cambridge and for a number of professional accountancy bodies.
