A question item comprising: textual, visual or auditory subject matter; a query or instruction pertaining to the subject matter; and a representation of a response mechanism for receiving a user response to the query or instruction, may be retrieved from a data store. The subject matter, query or instruction and response mechanism may be presented in a presentation sequence, wherein a presentation duration of each of the subject matter, query or instruction and response mechanism is controlled by user input. Based on the user input, a presentation duration of each of the subject matter, query or instruction, and response mechanism may be determined. Each of the three presentation durations may be stored. A completion time may be determined based on one or more of the presentation durations and may be stored along with response accuracy, for use in calculating a user competency measure for the question item. An algorithm for advancing through an electronic learning curriculum comprising multiple question items may also be provided.