3463
Over a decade of experience with computer aided learning in geotechnical
engineering
Plus d’une décennie d’expérience dans le domaine de l’enseignement assisté par ordinateur
dans le domaine de l’ingénierie géotechnique
Springman S.M., Herzog R., Seward L.
Institute for Geotechnical Engineering, ETH Zürich, Wolfgang-Pauli Strasse 15, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
ABSTRACT: While Computer Aided Learning has become a valuable part of the palette of tools available in developing and teaching
university courses in geotechnical engineering, it is not the universal panacea and requires careful planning, didactic considerations
and high quality in the delivery. The ‘Institut für Geotechnik’ (IGT) at ETH Zürich has been using an e-learning platform for the last
12 years to teach basic soil mechanics to students at the bachelor level in German. The notes are embedded with quizzes, virtual and
real laboratory exercises, frontal lectures and accompanying lecture videos. A second generation knowledge-based platform GEOTip
(GEOTechnical Information Platform) was developed inhouse using PHP and MySQL to stay abreast of advances in web technology
and to ensure ongoing sustainability. All materials have been translated into English and extended using podcasts and accompanying
videos to cover additional multidisciplinary courses for students in geophysics, environmental sciences and engineering. This paper
describes concepts, key features and technical background for GEOTip. A summary of the students’ course evaluations is also
presented and the change in the students’ perception of the platform over the years is analysed as well.
RÉSUMÉ : Bien que l’enseignement assisté par ordinateur (EAO) soit devenu un élément précieux de la palette d’outils à disposition
pour développer et enseigner des cours d’université dans le domaine de l’ingénierie géotechnique, il ne s’agit pas d’une panacée
universelle. L’EAO demande une planification attentive, des considérations didactiques et une haute qualité de distribution.
L’« Institut für Geotechnik » (IGT) à l’ETH Zürich utilise une plate-forme d’e-learning depuis 12 ans pour enseigner en allemand les
bases de mécanique des sols aux étudiants de niveau bachelor. Les notes de cours sont incorporées à des quizz, des exercices virtuels
et réels en laboratoire, des cours magistraux et des vidéos de cours. Une plate-forme de connaissances de deuxième génération,
GEOTip (GEOTechnical Information Platform) a été développée en interne en utilisant PHP et MySQL afin de se maintenir à la
pointe des avancées dans le domaine de la technologie du web et d’en assurer la durabilité. Tous les documents ont été traduits en
anglais et complétés à l’aide de podcasts et de vidéos d’accompagnement pour couvrir les cours multidisciplinaires supplémentaires
pour les étudiants en géophysique et sciences de l’environnement. Cet article décrit les concepts, les caractéristiques-clé et le contexte
technique pour GEOTip. Un résumé des évaluations des cours par les étudiants est aussi présenté et le changement de la perception de
la plate-forme par les étudiants est aussi analysé.
KEYWORDS: knowledge-based platform, embedded multi-threaded geotechnical resources, e-learning
1 INTRODUCTION
Early developments for Computer Aided Learning in geotech-
nical engineering existed as part of the GeotechniCAL reference
package funded by the UK Higher Education Funding Council
Teaching and Learning Technology Programme and were led by
Dr Leslie Davison, Professors David Muir Wood and John
Atkinson. Subsequently, a pilot project for an introductory
course in German in soil mechanics at Bachelor level, CALICE
(Computer Aided Learning in Civil Engineering), was funded in
2000 ((Sharma
et al.
, 2001; Springman
et al
., 2003). This was
part of a Swiss-British initiative under the umbrella of the ETH
World Virtual Campus, to promote a step-change in the
students’ development, understanding and acquisition of
knowledge. The resources developed included:
•
online reference material for information,
•
simulations designed to encourage reflection,
•
open ended questions linking theory to practice,
•
multiple choice descriptive and numerical questions to
consolidate learning and assess progress.
All Bachelor and Masters courses from the Chair for
Geotechnical Engineering have been mounted on the second
generation, inhouse knowledge-based platform GEOTip
(GEOTechnical
Information
Platform)
since
2007.
Subsequently, the introductory Bachelor course in soil
mechanics has been extended for several different versions of
multidisciplinary Masters' courses in geophysics, environmental
sciences and engineering, in English. This paper describes
concepts, key features and technical background and the
students’ evaluation of the progress.
2 GEOTIP: CONCEPT FOR THE GEOTECHNICAL
INFORMATION PLATFORM
2.1
Key features
GEOTip was developed in house using PHP and MySQL to
host the existing multi-threaded geotechnical resources. These
included videos of the frontal lectures for streaming for later
viewing, a script with embedded media, online quizzes,
practical site-specific challenges and virtual laboratory
demonstrations with associated questions for ongoing
assessment of learning. Each student’s performance is
summarised on their personalised home-page.
Eight chapters of the bachelor’s course soil mechanics listed
below form the basis of the content with quizzes, virtual
laboratory tests and challenges associated with each one. A final
chapter about the construction of the Monasavu Dam in Fiji
provides a useful opportunity to apply a simple form of
‘problem-based’ learning.
1. The ground
2. Stresses in the ground
