The objective of this work is to improve the teaching–learning process in the subject “Structural Concrete” of the Degree in Building at the Polytechnic University of Madrid. To this end, the teaching methodology has been innovated to bring the reality of the building closer to the classrooms. The subject has been designed with different lectures given by companies specialized in the construction sector, specifically in concrete structures. It has been proposed to carry out tutored group work in which students will design a computer application for calculating the reinforcement of simple reinforced concrete structures, providing them with a practical tool for their future work on construction sites and will also allow them to evaluate the calculations made by hand in class practices. The application will be developed on mobile phones, taking advantage of students’ technological knowledge and motivating them to participate and learn in a more interactive way. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2024.