BEST (Basic Engineering Software for Teaching) Dynamics, developed by will be five years old as of the summer of 1997, having begun in the summer of 1992. The aim of this project from the start was to utilize the unique capabilities of multimedia and simulation to enhance student learning of engineering dynamics--a difficult-to-learn course that deals with motion and the forces associated with that motion. The result of the first few years of work was a package of forty or so attractive simulation problems, useful in showing motion (our original goal), but only capable of serving as an add-on to an engineering dynamics class. But how many dynamics teachers are looking for add-ons to their courses which add work rather than replace or transform work? Current efforts, funded by the University of Missouri Institute for Instructional Development and the National Science Foundation, have focused on adding features that enable the software to more fully serve the learning needs of students. Rather that simply being an add-on to the class, the software's content will replace some class activities. It will enable the teacher to refer students to the software for learning and review of concepts while teacher-student contact can be devoted to higher order interaction. New additions to the software include: (a) A new interface, allowing easy integration of theory and simulations, and allowing students to navigate more easily from topic to topic, (b) Much more extensive theory, including mini-lectures on key concepts, (c) Video demonstrations of dynamic phenomena, (d) Math and Mechanics references, (e) A large library of quiz questions over both theoretical concepts and numerical problems. The conference presentation will consist primarily of demonstrating these latest additions to BEST Dynamics software.

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