Teachers’ Views
On this page teachers who are using Argo share their view how the product works for them.
This review is from J. Harlan Wrenn, Assistant Professor, Diesel Technology & Coordinator, Southside Virginia Community College, Blackstone, Virginia.
Harlan Wrenn
At Southside Virginia Community College our training is especially related to the diesel end of automotive, since diesels are in just about everything we purchase. We can train on diesel engines found in lawn mowers, cars, pickups, medium to heavy trucks, heavy equipment, boats and diesel/hybrids. Our brake training includes the automotive side, then into booster and then air brakes. All training includes ABS and TCS. I’ve talked with instructors from all over North America and everyone has the students’ future in mind. All of us want to use the best training aids possible. We might say the same things differently. But, Ohms Law is Ohms Law.
One of our training responsibilities is to service and train our students on about sixty pieces of equipment. When working on (testing components) electric/electronic components, sensors, ECM, fuel pumps, scan tools, jumper wires, etc. After we determine what route we need to go to make repairs, we can bring the students from the shop and use the EDT simulation to do hands-on and component testing without fear of damaging sensitive equipment. The EDT makes it so simple to show and explain. We have saved lots of money by not burning up components.
My favorite part of Argo is making use of the hundreds of modules. In all my years of teaching I’ve never found software so valuable. The students actually love it. I remember how great it was when pictures came out with a short video. Argo is the whole ball game: visuals, components, components working, well thought out descriptions, faults explained. Students build components like a relay and then flip switches, use the multi-meter to do testing and move on when they get it right. Students can see each step they take, get time and results immediately from their accomplishments. I can help a student with his or her needs. Argo software shows me each of my student’s area of weakness so I know what they are missing and focus on that.
I always felt that we were missing a big part of training. Working with the actual component never provided the real opportunity to explore how it was put together and how it worked. A diagram of a pump is nothing like seeing the moving components. Argo is much like today’s very realistic video games. On a vehicle I can say that does this and it hooks to this and this component converts…… Argo software allows me to move from screen to screen and demonstrate the component, and how it relates to the rest of the circuit. Students can see and understand much more now than any time in my past.
Every time a student uses this software, I can see improvement: just their understanding of a component for the first time always ends up in an excited conversation, and a real smile makes it a new experience.
I want the very best for all my students and I know I’ve done all I could with what I had. Now I have a much better, long awaited tool. Not only are my students better trained, but we instructors are better at what we do. For me personally, satisfaction that comes with knowing that the students understand what is being presented. Students and instructors can see the results immediately and my instructors like it enough to leave students working alone - the students will still be busy when they return. I’ve found that kids bore very easy but they are very excited about learning now and this software is very exciting to them.
I’ve been more than pleasantly surprised by Argo - the price and the value of the product means that every automotive and diesel program in America can afford it. To any teachers thinking of using Argo I say contact them and get the download. Then open what I call “The Library of Automotive Knowledge”, use it and invite management and faculty to see a great product. Once they see it - they’ll pay for it.
About Harlan Wrenn
J Harlan Wrenn is a Coordinator for the Diesel Technician Program at Southside Virginia Community College. Growing up he worked on farm equipment then army equipment, Caterpillar equipment, and racing equipment. Following that he had a trucking company and in January 1999 he started teaching. Harlan had great support in his own life and that motivates him to work harder to help his students do well and be happy.