Concrete, steel and wood are common building materials. In Civil Engineering, a strength of materials course is usually mandatory at the sophomore or junior level. Students are taught the basic characteristics of these materials and then conduct laboratory tests to measure these characteristics, especially strength and deformation. This paper describes one module - a steel module - of a suite of multimedia civil engineering materials courseware modules that used modern communication technologies to educate undergraduate students anytime/ any place. A virtual laboratory is included in the courseware that allows the student to conduct virtual laboratory tests on steel in tension, in torsion and impact. A universal testing machine capable of applying tension, compression and torque, and a Charpy V notch impact testing machine are simulated. The courseware utilizes interactive animations, sound and graphics to enhance learning and retention, and improving the connection between theory and experiment. The modules are geared to active learning and include electronic quizzes for assessing short-term knowledge retention. The virtual laboratory is intended to prepare students for the real test, to supplement and complement the hands-on experience, to extend the range and convenience of testing, to test a student's prior knowledge, to guide the student through the testing and to allow the student to prepare and interpret the test results. Throughout the courseware, the student can monitor her/his performance and seek on-line help.
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