MATLAB and Python Open Book Assessments: Lessons from Two UK Institutions

Although programming has increasingly become an integral part of Mathematics education in universities, the closed book exam, which excludes programming, remains the preferred main assessment component. However, the switch towards open book online assessments necessitated by the Covid pandemic has seen programming content being included in end of year assessments. In this paper we look at how programming has been integrated into the end of year open book online assessments in Mathematics at two UK universities. Preliminary conclusions suggest that open book online assessments incorporating programming content can be a viable replacement for the traditional closed book exam.