OMWeb – Virtual Web-based Remote Laboratory for Modelica in Engineering Courses

Abstract

In this paper we present a web-based teaching environment, OMWeb, useful both in engineering courses as well as for teaching programming languages. OMWeb can be an alternative or complementary tool to the traditional teaching method with lecturing and reading textbooks. Experience shows that using such interactive platforms will lead to more engagement from the students. With such a solution the student can focus more on the important learning goals. The student needs only to open a web browser and start writing programs in order to use the tool. The OMWeb server contains all the needed software. In each interaction, the server returns results to the user. This solution allows each student to work at his/her own speed, at any time, and remotely, enhancing the individual learning. OMWeb is part of the open source platform OpenModelica. It can be applied to several areas in natural science, such as physics, chemistry, biology, biomechanics etc., where phenomena can be illustrated by dynamic simulations.