Educational app for for teaching section properties in engineering mechanics

Incorporation of educational apps into classroom curriculum including gamification, collaboration, self-learning and assessment apps is a major trend in engineering education.Educational applications either in desktop or mobile devices enable students to learn in a modern context when they are used as teaching tools in various engineering disciplines.SecPro is an educational app that is developed as a self-learning and self-assessment tool for engineering students.This app provides a tool for studying the section properties concept which is primary knowledge required in engineering mechanics topics such as Statics, Mechanics of Materials and Design of Steel Structures.It enables students to participate in self-learning and post class activities.Part of these activities include making various sections by combining basic elements, following step-by-step calculations and trying to optimize section properties through game-based simulations.The efficiency of this app-based educational technology in active learning and adaptive evaluation of students in Mechanics of Materials is discussed in this paper.The effect of using such educational app on the performance of students was experimentally measured by comparing the performance of students who use this app with those who use traditional methods.As an experiment, this app was integrated into assignments of a large section undergraduate course with a diverse student population.The app is offered to students as an optional tool; the performance of students is monitored quarterly during the semester and in the final common exam.The results of this case study showed that the students applied and learned skills related to section properties successfully and their attitudes towards engineering mechanics improved.