The Electronics Technician (ET) distance education program was developed in 1997 by Dr. Colin Simpson, an electronics professor at George Brown College in Toronto, Canada. Since then, the award-winning program has grown to become the largest of its kind in the world. With over 10,000 students studying electronics at a distance, the ET distance education program has effectively broken down the barriers that prevent students from accessing technical course material on-line. Of note is that the program has broken the gender barrier in the study of electronics. Typically, less than 2% of students who study electronics in Colleges and Universities are female. In ET distance education program almost 20% of the student’s are female, which has been attributed to the accessibility of the learning material and the non-threatening environment in which it is delivered. The ET distance education program is delivered in an asynchronous format and allows the student to determine the time required to complete the program. Due to the empirical nature of electronics curriculum, and the high level of integration of lab simulation software, students are able to successfully complete the course material with a minimum amount of interaction with faculty and staff at the College. A state-of-the-art on-line student support centre for the program was funded by a $1 million grant from the Government of Ontario. As a result of this highly interactive learning centre, the program enjoys one of the lowest attrition rates of any distance education program.
The ET distance education program covers an introductory curriculum in electronics equivalent to a two year college associate degree. Contents of the program includes Current, Voltage, Resistance, Ohm's Law, Parallel and Series Circuits, Magnetism, AC/DC Circuits Capacitance, Inductance, Transformers, Resonance, Filters, control relays, relay logic, Transistors, Semiconductors, Amplifiers, Op Amps and Digital electronics. The interactive multimedia program presents twenty-three modules of interactive curriculum using text, video, 2D and 3D animations, photos, audio clips and interactive electronic circuit simulation using CircuitLogix.
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Electronic technicians and repairers install, test, repair, and calibrate equipment to ensure it functions properly. They keep detailed records on each piece of equipment to provide a history of tests, performance problems, and repairs. When equipment breaks down, repairers first examine work orders, which indicate problems, or talk to equipment operators. Then they check for common causes of trouble, such as loose connections or obviously defective components. If routine checks do not locate the trouble, repairers may refer to schematics and manufacturers' specifications that show connections and provide instruction on how to locate problems. They use voltmeters, ohmmeters, signal generators, ammeters, and oscilloscopes, and run diagnostic programs to pinpoint malfunctions. It may take several hours to locate a problem, but only a few minutes to fix it. However, more equipment now has self-diagnosing features, which greatly simplifies the work. To fix equipment, repairers may replace defective components, circuit boards, or wiring, or adjust and calibrate equipment, using test equipment, small hand tools such as pliers, screwdrivers, and soldering irons.
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Some electronics technicians work shifts, including weekends and holidays, to service equipment in computer centres, manufacturing plants, hospitals, and telephone companies operating around the clock. Shifts are generally assigned on the basis of seniority. Repairers may also be on call at any time to handle equipment failure. The work of most repairers involves lifting, reaching, stooping, crouching, and crawling. Adherence to safety precautions is essential to guard against work hazards such as minor burns and electrical shock. |
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