To:
Donna Shea, Instructor
From:
Phil Fournier
Date:
10/2/2004
Subject:
WR1 Memo of Software Programs
The purpose of this assignment is to locate information about software that
would benefit my students or myself in the Computerized Engine Controls Level 1
course that I teach for Mt. San Jacinto College. This is a good assignment as the last time I
taught the class, I felt my presentation of the material could have benefited
from some technological improvement.
My first choice of
software is called “Skills Manager” by Diploma Technologies. This software was given to me by a fellow
instructor at the college on a copied CD so I am somewhat concerned about its
legitimacy. I went to the Diploma
Technologies website http://www.diplomatech.com/index.html
and found a good demonstration of how the product works with a Palm
handheld. However, there was no purchase
or pricing information included in the website at all. One feature that I really liked about the
software is that it is evidently geared toward automotive courses, because it
comes already equipped with a complete NATEF task list. (NATEF is the recognized arm of ASE that
certifies training institutions. Part of
the certification process involves the use of task lists, competencies which
are directly tied to the ASE certification tests.) I received an e-mail back from the website
with the disappointing information that Skills Manager sells for $995! I am guessing this means I will not be able
to use this product, unless the copied CD I was given is somehow legitimate.
My second choice
of software would have been some kind of a downloadable set of ASE test
preparation questions. I went on the
assumption that I could find some sort of shareware program that I could use at
no charge. Unfortunately, it seems what
I was hoping for may not exist. I found
two websites that looked promising. The
first was referenced on a number of search engines and promised a download to
“try before you buy” http://www.dalidesign.com/aseprep/asereg_ol.html
. The download link did not work, but
after an exchange of e-mail with the author, I was able to download a
demonstration version. But the
demonstration version only allowed me to sample the first five questions. This really gives me very little idea of the
quality of the programs, which cost $10 each with a minimum purchase of
three. The second website http://www.asetestprep.com/ required me
to purchase at least a seven day pass.
Being basically a cheap-skate and having no budget whatsoever from my
department to buy anything, I am somewhat loath to risk the money.
The
third choice of software I found is a product called Smoghouse
software http://www.smoghouse.com/ from
a company called Tools for Education. I
was able to obtain a demo version of the software and it looks promising from
the standpoint that the more advanced students could use this instead of
participating in the more basic lab exercises.
The software allows a student to “virtually” diagnose a vehicle that has
failed an emissions inspection. I found
the interface to be a bit cumbersome, but I’m pretty sure the younger
generation would have no trouble at all using the mouse and arrow keys to move
the tools around in the game-like interface.
However, once again the cost of
the product is completely prohibitive for an under-budgeted automotive
department like ours. The full package
for use by an instructor with up to 20 students costs $699.
My
disappointed conclusion is that at least for the time being, I will have to
continue teaching my class using old technology of video tapes and PowerPoint
presentations to enhance my lecturing and lab activities. Fortunately, as a contract instructor for
Standard Motor Parts, I have access to some very high quality presentations
which I am allowed to use in my own teaching.
I could conceivable use the Skills Manager software, but feel
uncomfortable “bootlegging” very expensive software. The department might be convinced to purchase
the downloadable ASE test preparation software which could be installed on the
five computers we have for the use of students.