Auto Mechanic

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by euphoric, May 1, 2007.

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  1. euphoric

    euphoric New Member

    Does anyone think you can really learn the skills of being an automotive technician taking the program at PCDI? Wht other online school offers it?
     
  2. CoachTurner

    CoachTurner Member

    Penn Foster has automotive technology courses.

    As for being able to learn the material by DL - I don't fix cars but...

    Let's say the assignment is to install an alternator (assuming that'd be an assignment) and the lesson is to read all about alternators and how they work as well as how to diagnose and install one. Maybe some video about it as well. Then, you take an alternator and install it.

    Would you learn that task better in an auto shop at some tech college than in your garage? I'm thinking it might be easier to have someone around who knows about such things if you mess up. But then, if you learned how to install an alternator, does it really matter where you learned?
     
  3. John Bear

    John Bear Senior Member

    PCDI is the only school with such a program listed in the subject index at www.detc.org.

    As to whether the course 'works' -- many (but not all) schools will supply names and contact information for graduates, who clearly would have something to say on the subject.

    As Coach Turner points out, many community colleges offer such courses, often at dramatically lower cost.

    PS: When you finish the course, can I mail you my aging Volvo for you to work on and then mail back?
     
  4. bing

    bing New Member

    I dunno about all cars

    I learned how to add refrigerant in one of my cars via the Internet. Also, I learned how to install a stone walk-path via the Internet. I learned a lot of handy things via the Internet and I might have learned more about cars from a distance course.

    I'll say that it might take some skills already in your possession to maybe to do complicated work. For instance, if you never opened a car hood then you might be in for frustration.

    Bing
     
    Last edited by a moderator: May 1, 2007
  5. jmetro

    jmetro New Member

    Yes...Up to a point...

    I think that it should be possible to learn anything theory-based in an online or correspondence manner. When it comes to practical experience...

    I'm not so sure.

    So perhaps you learn the theory, prep for the certification tests, become PMI or whatever it is these days, and then gain your hands-on experience in the real-world on "real" cars. It might be possible for PCDI and others to virtualize the innards of cars to the extent that anyone can learn anything.

    I've seen some of the online manufacturer schematics for their vehicles.

    They are almost a tutorial on how to take apart the cars, find the right parts to replace, diagnose failures, etc. Only very few repair facilities purchase these CD or online schematics, but those that do probably have all the information they need to rebuild an entire car.

    With that in mind, and realizing that all technicians rely on onsite schematics (or schematics they've built in their heads) to figure out how to dissemble the vehicle into constituant parts, I'd not have a second thought about hiring an online automotive mechanic. If they do a really bad job, I'd attribute it to the learning method (or the person, depending on the situation) and think twice at another time.

    My question would be one of utility. How many PCDI graduates from this program find jobs in their field and do well?

    Jacob
     
  6. cdhale

    cdhale Member

    I learned to build a privacy fence, a chain link fence, plant various sorts of vegetation, from bushes to flowers to trees - all from the internet.

    Is it the ideal way to learn such things? Probably not in every situation, but can it be done? Absolutely.

    clint
     
  7. Kizmet

    Kizmet Moderator

    The ability of a generic student to learn how to install an alternator through a correspondence course might be directly related to the quality of the instructional material. I think this flows into the field of technical writing, which can also be pursued through distance learning. I just learned a software program by distance learning. I'm guessing that if I can do that then some aspiring grease-monkey can learn to swap out an alternator. For some (even many) it may not be the optimal learning method but it may still work.
     
  8. John Bear

    John Bear Senior Member

    This afternoon I successfully replaced the battery in my iPod, following an on-line video available from the company from whom I bought the battery. Apple warns people that they can't/shouldn't do this, and charges a hundred bucks to do so, so I felt quite pleased.
     
  9. Randell1234

    Randell1234 Moderator

    GREAT JOB John.
     
  10. xgoddessx

    xgoddessx New Member

    I took several online quilting courses about two years ago. I was definitely skeptical, but eager to turn out an authentic 9-patch to surprise my mum, who is the crafting queen. There were no videos, only digital photographs used within some very rudimentary HTML pages (no CMS like Blackboard or WebCT was used), but all in all it was sufficient to get me though.

    I did end up having to ask my mum for help, though. -sigh-
     

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