Assessing the Impact of Calcpad on Student Learning in Civil Engineering

<jats:p>This study evaluates the use of CalcPad, a free and open source computational tool, in civil engineering education. The aim was to examine its influence on students understanding of engineering concepts and their problem-solving efficiency. CalcPad provides transparent symbolic and numerical calculations, automatic formatting, and professional report generation, making it suitable for courses that require structured mathematical reasoning. A survey was conducted among 35 undergraduate and graduate students who used CalcPad in coursework and seminar assignments. The questionnaire measured usability, learning support, and efficiency, and included open-ended questions. Descriptive statistics and non-parametric tests were used to analyse responses. Students reported high satisfaction with CalcPad s usability and its contribution to reducing calculation errors and improving workflow clarity. Frequent users and senior students expressed stronger positive perceptions, indicating that familiarity and task complexity influence perceived value. While contributions to theoretical understanding were moderate, students highlighted improved transparency and confidence in analytical procedures. Challenges included an initial learning curve and unit handling. Overall, CalcPad shows strong potential as an accessible digital tool that enhances accuracy, documentation quality, and digital competence. These results suggest that free, transparent computational tools such as CalcPad can strengthen students procedural competence and digital literacy when meaningfully integrated into engineering curricula.</jats:p>