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For the second year in a row, the California Department of Education awarded a grant for instructor training in EV assembly, covering the cost of the course and making it free-of-charge to high school instructors for continuing education. And for the second straight year it sold out.
The instructor course, which took place January 25-29 in Rancho Cordova, California just outside Sacramento. Organizers are seeking funding and recruiting to hold more instructor training classes in the future. The course was taught by Bruce Cosby of Advanced Automotive Training in Rancho Cordova, California.
Automotive technology instructors from ten high schools signed up for the course, which gave an overview in teaching the 16-week assembly curricula for the 3D-EV Capstone Electric Vehicle Course. During the course the instructors and staff disassembled the electric vehicle down to the chassis, then put it back together piece by piece adding in classroom sessions with principles and theory so the instructors could incorporate electric vehicles into their own classrooms. Graduates of the course said it was informative, helped refresh them in automotive electrical training and exposed them to a new hands-on, STEM-based teaching methods in the classroom.
The program is funded through the Fresno County Office of Education Regional Occupation Program. The goal is to foster a greater understanding of alternative fuels and advanced vehicle technologies. The registration fee of $1,495 was covered by the California Industrial Technology Education Project.
“This unique project would not be possible without the foresight and initiative shown by program facilitator Dara Dubois and manager Anthony Ayerza, and we thank them for their continued support,” said Michael Mack of SmarterSTEM.
Mario Gonzalez of Riverdale High School said the 3D-EV Capstone is a good trainer in the classroom to help students learn. “Given the fact that it is a downsized scale project, initially it looks to be complicated but it is a lot easier than a ful-size vehicle, and the systems will be pretty much the same.”
While the 3D-EV may be downscaled for the classroom, Tom Dougherty is 6’3″ and said he was a perfect fit behind the wheel when he took it for a drive.
“I was very impressed with the course. We learned a lot. I’m definitely getting that,” said Dougherty, Automotive Technology Instructor at Vintage High School in Napa, California. “This would be more enjoyable because it is more like a race car and lower to the ground. And having the end-result being able to drive it would be their motivating factor.”
