The third edition of Fundamentals of Automotive Technology, Principles and Practice is a comprehensive resource that covers the foundational theory and skills necessary to prepare entry-level technicians to maintain, diagnose, and repair today’s light-duty vehicles.

Several of the original 64 chapters have been split, creating 75 chapters in the Third Edition. The smaller chunks of content fit nicely into the schedule of most two-year programs. Additionally, the reading level has been lowered to eighth/ninth-grade level, making it easier for more students to comprehend. Several features are included in the text to facilitate student learning. Instructors are encouraged to incorporate these features and activities into their lessons.

Learning Objectives

Learning Objectives are skills, knowledge, and behaviors that translate to on-the-job requirements. Instructors should align the Learning Objectives to the outcomes defined by accreditors and advisory boards. This will help instructors ensure that they have provided the training necessary for safety and competence on the job. Learning Objectives are listed at the beginning of each chapter and emphasized when supporting material appears in the chapter content. Organizing each chapter by the Learning Objectives makes the content more manageable for students and focuses their attention on the relevant information.

You Are the Automotive Technician

Each chapter includes a You Are the Automotive Technician scenario and open-ended questions intended to provide relevance to the chapter content. Instructors can use this feature to stimulate classroom discussion, capture students’ attention, and provide an overview of key topics in the chapter.

Skill Drills

Skill Drills offer a step-by-step portrayal, in words and images, of necessary skills. These are particularly helpful as students prepare to perform the tasks themselves for the first time or if they need reference information in the lab. Instructors can use Skill Drills when discussing difficult steps or preparing students for the nuances of a procedure. Breaking down these processes into individual steps helps students internalize the importance of each step. The visual component further assists students in determining what needs to be done, and how it needs to be done, at each step.

Applied Academics

The Applied Academics feature provides a practical scenario for specific communication, math, or science skills in the shop. Instructors who are required to address STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) content and similar grade-level outcomes (GLOs) will find this feature especially helpful as both a skill review and a reference tool. After the scenario is presented, students are guided through application of the concept. This feature pulls students’ existing academic skills into the automotive context and helps them apply these skills to real-world automotive situations.

Technician Tips

Technician Tips add extra background information, details, and suggestions that students will find helpful in both their studies and their work in the shop. These details provide insight into the topic from technicians with years of experience.

Safety Tips

Safety Tips draw attention to specific safety concerns and address how to avoid injury in the shop. Instructors know that reinforcement is key for many of these very important practices. Safety Tips alert students to potential hazards and remind instructors to address the dangers in class, ahead of exposure in the shop.

Wrap-Up

The Wrap-Up at the end of each chapter pulls together the information learned in the chapter. In addition to highlighting key topics and terms, the Wrap-Up gives students an opportunity to test their knowledge of the material they learned. Instructors can use the questions in this section as a homework assignment, an in-class (individual or group) activity, or the basis of a class discussion. Students can develop their critical-thinking and problem-solving skills in the context of automotive service and repair—skills essential for success in the field.