Action Research Christopher R. Hoss EDU 671 Dr. Miller 10 Dec 2015

Introduction As a technician/manager of a repair shop, technology is used daily to work on the equipment that comes in. I am somewhat shocked to see that this same technology is not used to gain knowledge about new motors, new equipment, or new troubleshooting methods.

Area of Focus The focus of my action research plan would be to figure how to best incorporate technology into the development side of the company I work for.

Explanation of the Problem Some of the observations that have been made that are driving this study are advanced technologies that are forth coming such as diesel exhaust fluid systems, older vehicles that parts are getting harder to find, and an interest being expressed from the participants about furthering their education.

Locus of Control This action research plan is within my control because I am the manager of the repair shop, the technicians are on board with additional training, and upper management supports the idea as well. However, some outside influences can have an affect on this plan. I.E. Finances, employee turnover, etc.

Ethics Ethical concerns consist of 1. Privacy 2. Anonymity 3. Confidentiality

Literature Review Reveals Consistent theme or ideology of advancing technologies. “Keep abreast of new technology—Commit to life-long learning and take advantage of additional training” (DIESEL ENGINE TECHNICIAN, 2010, pp. 26). “This trend will only continue as emission control regulations get tighter for off highway equipment” (Martin, 2015, pp. 75).

Research Questions How best to incorporate technology into the developmental/training side of the company I work for? To discover which technology is the best to use for the situation I am researching?

Data Collection Technology Options Worksheet Review Participant Questionnaire Results Data Worksheet (from intervention)

Intervention The intervention for this research plan will consist of two timed events that will be used for comparison to show the power of technology when it is used properly.

Intervention Timeline The intervention plan will consist of four steps. Step one will be to diagnose an electrical issue in a simple circuit. Step two will be to identify the problem using whatever tools are available. Step three will be identifying which components are affected by the original issue diagnosed in step one. Step four will be utilizing the software to determine the same answers that were discovered in steps two and three; again this step will be timed. Total time spent for this intervention including data review will be one weeks time.

Closing The power of technology is only increasing as time moves forward; for the technicians that work in my shop, the ability to not only use technology but to also understand it is paramount to future success.

References DIESEL ENGINE TECHNICIAN. (2010). Tech Directions, 69(10), Martin, T. (2015). Heavy duty diesel service: much of the new technology used in heavy-duty diesels was pioneered in the automotive world. Motor Age, (4). 68.