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A case study of student engagement with simulations in a materials engineering course is presented. The aim of the work was to better understand the characteristics of simulations which support learning: the attributes, qualities, and circumstances of their use which lead to improved understanding . Simulations were introduced into the teaching of engineering heat transfer in 2000 and were modified for 2001 based on feedback received in 2000. The response of the two student cohorts to the simulations were recorded by observation and questioning during class sessions, questionnaires administered before, during, and after the teaching period, and by informal interviews after the teaching period. The responses of the two cohorts on the final questionnaire were compared using the Mann–Whitney U test. The features which were found in the current study to be important for engagement were: complexity of the …