Web platform with apps for theory of structures course

The project focused on developing a web platform with the goal of teaching students the fundamentals of structural mechanics. The platform was specifically designed to support and complement the lecture material of the bachelor course «Theory of structures I». Its purpose was to provide students with a comprehensive learning resource that aligns with their coursework.The motivation behind this project was to modernize teaching methods and offer students a more engaging and interactive educational experience. Modern technologies were employed to create a learning environment that allows to effectively disseminate knowledge. To achieve this, handwritten exercises were supplemented with web apps that visualize the course content in a format familiar to the students due to their everyday use of smartphones and tablets.

The implementation of the project into the teaching practice involved the creation of eight web apps, each dedicated to covering one core topic from the lecture. These apps were designed to be presented during the lecture itself, serving as visual aids to illustrate complex ideas and concepts taught in the classroom and therefore provide students with a tangible and engaging learning experience.
Following the lecture and exercise classes, students were encouraged to explore and interact with the apps further. This post-lecture engagement allowed students to reinforce their understanding of the material by actively manipulating the app’s features and experimenting with different scenarios. The apps served as a practical tool for students to deepen their understanding and apply the theoretical knowledge gained from the lecture.
Each app was structured to include a brief theory section. This recap section provided a concise overview of the underlying principles and concepts of the topic. By including this additional theoretical component, the project ensured that students could refer back to the core principles whenever necessary to facilitate a positive and fruitful interaction with the apps.
The combination of visual components and the recap of theory provided students with an opportunity to review the lecture content in an enjoyable environment at their own pace. This approach enabled them to stay up-to-date with the lecture material and increased their receptivity for upcoming lectures.

The project successfully accomplished its goals by creating a diverse collection of visually appealing and user-friendly web apps that significantly enhanced the learning experience of the students. Furthermore, the project achieved its goal of ensuring that these apps were publicly accessible, not only to ETH students but also to the general public (https://baustatik.herokuapp.com/). The captivating design and the use of a modern web framework, namely the Dash App Platform, contributed to the project being recognized on an even larger scale than originally planned. The Plotly Technologies Inc. company acknowledged the project on its website, showcasing its innovative approach. Additionally, one of the project developers had the opportunity to present the project during the «Explore Dash in Manufacturing, Science, and Engineering» webinar.
The project demonstrated excellent scalability by leveraging digital resources and modern tools for deployment. Initially designed to accommodate around 100 students, it has the capability to be scaled up to serve a much larger number of individuals.With its modular structure consisting of multiple small individual applications, the project is highly adaptable to accommodate new or evolving course content. Furthermore, it has been observed to require low maintenance, making it seamlessly integrate into the fast-paced academic teaching environment.