Clairemont High School

NATEF Automotive Technology Syllabus

Name of Course: NATEF Automotive Technology 1 - 4, Room 407: Auto Lab, Period 6

Teacher: Mr. Larry Engelbrecht e-mail: lengelbrecht@sandi.net Tel: 858-273-0201 ext. 4407

Textbook Title: Automotive Excellence, Volumes 1 & 2. Copies are kept in the Auto Lab.

Course Description: In this college-articulated class, students will learn math, science, and language arts by real world hands-on approaches in a variety of automotive technologies. Valuable hands-on and problem-solving activities develop critical thinking skills, which are indispensable in engineering and technical studies and careers. Students are encouraged to bring in and work on their vehicles. 2 field trips, extracurricular technical competitions, recruiter presentations, and scholarships are also offered.

We will cover all NATEF automotive areas, but the emphasis in this class will be on Engine Performance and Electrical/Electronics. We will also cover effects of OEM performance, aftermarket, and competition modifications in depth. Students will not only learn real world skills, which can result in substantial auto repair cost savings, but also valuable transferrable skills.

Goals for this course:

Standards: Students will demonstrate applied academic and technical competencies in compliance with ASE/NATEF national (see www. natef.org) and CTE state (see www.cde.ca.gov/re/pn/fd/documents/careertechstnd.pdf)standards as well as the highest level of professional conduct (aka workplace or “soft” skills) necessary to not only get employed, but to also stay employed. Students will consider entering the engineering or automotive technology fields.

Assessments used:

As we discuss the topics of NATEF Automotive Technology, you will work to develop and practice your skills in diagnosis and repair. You will be given the opportunity to develop your technical skills by practicing and demonstrating your competencies so that you can learn from your mistakes rather than being punished and down-graded for them.

Teaching Methodology:

Traditional courses operate on a system in which all students are required to do the same quantity of work and the quality of the work performed is judged and graded. Accepting low quality work and simply lowering a student’s grade for poor quality is the way grades are usually assessed used in schools.

In the "Consultant Learning" approach, the required quality of the work you must perform is held constant at a very high level – “professionalism” – and low quality work must be redone and resubmitted until it meets that professionalism standard. Then the quantity of professional quality work you perform during the semester becomes the basis for your grade.

You will earn consulting fees for projects which you select from a menu of project choices or that you design yourself on topics that are of interest to you. For each project that you intend to complete you will submit a proposal to be approved by me before you begin work on the project. Once the written estimate is approved you may begin the project. Completed projects are submitted to me. Projects which are not of professional quality will be returned to you along with notes on what needs to be done to the project to make it professional quality. You must rework and resubmit the project in order to get credit for it. Once a project is professional quality, I will tally the quantity of Tasks satisfactorily completed on the bottom of the Work Order.

You will also receive consulting fees for in-class work, such as attendance and being prepared for class. Near

the end of the semester you will compile all your paid projects into a portfolio that will be submitted to me. In

your portfolio will be two accounting sheets showing what you’ve earned, both from in-class fees and project fees, and what grade that amount of fees qualifies you for. The table below shows the amount of fees that you will need to earn to receive each specific grade.

Exactly how projects are designed, and how you earn fees are described in the booklet entitled Student Guide to Consultant Learning. That booklet tells you everything you need to know to be successful in a Consultant Learning course. Another booklet entitled The 80/20 Style Guide for Professional Quality Business Writing will help you to produce professional quality diagnostic reports and recommendations that are in the designated form for this course. The section titled Suggested Projects for NATEF Automotive Technology 1 - 4, will provide you with a list of projects from which you may choose and will describe the process by which you can design your own project.

Assigning Grades

Academic Competency examples may include: calculating displacement, precision measurements, SAE, metric and fractional conversions, calculating HP and VE, using Ohm’s Law, calculating alignment angles.

Technical Competencies examples may include: measuring and reading a micrometer, diagnosing & correcting an electrical/electronic problem, valve adjustment, suspension alignment, completing a repair order.

Professional Conduct examples may include: safe & professional conduct at ALL times, following & completing all safety requirements, attendance, class & lab area housekeeping, working well with all peers, up to date resume and cover letter.

66 2/3 % Combined Academic and Technical Competencies

33 1/3 % Professional Conduct (workplace or “soft” skills). You already have this Don’t lose this in fines!

100 %

A = >90%

B = 80% - 89%

C = 70% - 79%

F = <70%

Competencies

In addition to fees earned, there are certain competencies which must be met by all students in order to pass this course. These projects will receive fees like all other projects but ARE NOT OPTIONAL. However, failure to complete competencies satisfactorily will result in an “F” in the class regardless of the amount of fees earned. Examples of required competencies that must be performed for Auto Quick Service include passing all safety tests, balancing a tire, repairing a flat tire, verifying battery condition, and taking micrometer measurements.Technical Competencies are earned by safely and correctly performing a hands-on demonstration in accordance to national ASE NATEF standards. Academic Competencies are earned by demonstrating a written or verbal understanding of Applied Math, Science, or Language Arts competency. Workplace Skills points are earned by performing a variety of support tasks. These are listed on www.natef.org under Automotive Standards. A completed and current resume and cover letter is required to receive a passing grade.

Teaching Methods: Combination of lecture and demonstration.

Tutoring Time: Motorsports Club sessions during designated lunchtime in the Auto Lab.

Homework Policy: Homework is given occasionally.

Attendance Policy/Tardy Policy: Since most of the instruction is given at the beginning of each class and prior skills are required to be able to easily acquire new skills, tardiness/absences should be avoided at all costs, especially on Mondays & Tuesdays. It is the student’s responsibility to keep up with the pace of the class.

Supplies Needed: Safety glasses will be provided for vision protection. Students are strongly advised to bring a set of work clothing and shoes to keep in their assigned Auto Lab locker.