Although students in entry-level mechanical engineering courses have been through the Calculus and Physics sequence, they are often unprepared for the "new thinking" required to solve engineering analysis problems. The process of reading a description of a physical situation, deciding which analytical theory applies, converting the physical situation into a solvable mathematical model, and finally visualizing the forces and motions to evaluate the physical realism of the solution can be a daunting task. This paper studies the use of a problem-solving framework in a Dynamics class to help students to develop the skills needed for solving engineering mechanics problems. The framework initially serves as a "crutch" that helps students work their way from problem statement through solution, but ultimately it allows students to focus more on understanding key concepts because they are relieved of some pressure related to figuring out what to do next. Although assessment results from using a rigorous framework in the course have been generally positive, students are still reluctant to do what is perceived as "extra work" when they think they immediately know how to solve a problem and will abandon the framework in such cases if given the opportunity.
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