Steel "teaching aids" have now been erected at a university or technical college in most CISC regions. The purpose of the steel structure is to help students visualize how the wide variety of structural steel shapes come together and are joined to form the frameworks in buildings, towers, bridges and other steel structures which dot the landscape of Canada.

This idea for such a teaching aid came from Professor Dwane S. Ellifritt of the College of Engineering, University of Florida, in Gainesville. He conceived the idea for his students since it was difficult for them to visit job sites to see examples of such steel connections in full scale. With the help of a local consulting engineer and a steel fabricator in Florida, the teaching aid was erected on the Campus in March of 1986, where it stands today.

Civil Engineering Professors in Canada have enthusiastically taken advantage of this method of enhancing students' ability to visualize structures in real life. Various forms of sponsorship have been use to arrange supply of materials, and fabrication and erection - the Regional committee alone, partnering between the Regional Committee and other interested parties, and a CISC Member alone. Fabrication and erection have been done on some occasions by special trade students on campus. A plaque is usually attached to the structure to identify the sponsors.

Skyhawk Steel Construction Limited of Brampton donated the structure.

The structural construction teaching aid illustrates various structural sections, bolted and welded connections to scale used in the field. Students have the opportunity to visualize an actual structural system and gain a better understanding of the concepts learned in the classroom.

Teaching aid donated by SupermÈtal Structures Inc. of St. Romuald, Quebec, on September 18, 1998 to commemorate the opening a new wing for the engineering department.

15 septembre 1998
Šcole Polytechnique de l'UniversitÈ de MontrÈal, QuÈbec
Aciers Canam de St. GÈdÈon commandita l'installation du montage Èducationnel ý l'occasion du 135^e anniversaire de l'universitÈ.

Teaching aid donated by Aciers Canam of St. GÈdÈon, Quebec on
September 15, 1998 to commemorate the 135^th anniversary of the University.

1990
BCIT (British Columbia Institute of Technology).

Teaching aid donated by CISC BC Region

1995
NBCC - Moncton

Teaching aid donated by CISC Atlantic Region.

1997
University of Waterloo

Teaching aid donated by M & G Steel Ltd.

1992
Carlton University

Teaching aid donated by CISC Ontario Region.

1994
NBCC - Bathurst

Teaching aid donated by CISA Atlantic Region.

1997
University of Calgary

Teaching aid donated by CISC Alberta Region.

1993
University of Toronto

Teaching aid donated by Benson Steel.

1996
McMaster University

Teaching aid donated by Walters Inc.

1991
University of Alberta

Teaching aid donated by CISC Alberta Region.

1990
University of New Brunswick

Teaching aid donated by CISC Atlantic Region.

Steel Construction Teaching Aid presented to McGill University October 25, 2001 by B.K. Iron Works inc. under the auspices of the Canadian Institute of Steel Construction.

Steel teaching aid presented to the Université de Moncton on 15 October 2003 by fabricator members of the Atlantic Region under the auspices of the Canadian Institute of Steel Construction.