Integrating modeling and simulation into an e-learning environment in engineering study programs

This paper presents an integrative concept for information and communication technology (ICT) supported education in modeling and simulation (M&S). The implementation of the M&S program uses ICT as an indispensable part of the modern education system. This technology provides a new teaching paradigm, strategies, challenges, and prospects for active learning. The subjects introduced through e-learning provide an active learning environment where computers are used as a front end. Integrating M&S into an e-learning environment allows direct adaptation of the systems behavior under test to find the optimized solution, the performance of sensitivity analysis, or validation of a hypothesis. Hence, bringing M&S and e-learning together into a single framework is an important technical approach. Assessment of students' performance is also embedded within the e-learning modules.