Integrating drones into learning standards for math, science and language arts can ensure that learning is interdisciplinary and purposeful, according to an article in EdTech. Here is how Caitlin Hayes, a middle school science teacher and aerial drone coach at St. John the Apostle Catholic Parish in Virginia Beach, VA, describes how her school built its drone program:
- Numerous drone technologies are available, creating options for any school budget. Students designed the drone charging station using recycled materials and solar-powered elements, donated by the STEM club. Hands-on involvement deepened student engagement and taught practical skills. Long-term expenses were minimized.
- Teachers must be empowered to make a drone program sustainable. Staff at St. John the Apostle Catholic Parish attended regional and national drone education conferences. This built confidence and technical skills. Experiences are shared in Flight Huddles — monthly staff sessions where teachers co-design lessons, troubleshoot and reflect on student progress.
- Sharing resources and experiences builds a culture that supports collective ownership of the program. A single tech champion is not needed.
- Students’ spatial reasoning, problem-solving, collaboration and communication skills are measures of student learning and program success. This expands on the measure of the number of flight missions students complete.
- Student also write technical briefs, present mission debriefs and reflect on their design decisions. Older students mentor younger — teaching them flight safety, helping with coding and proposing new mission ideas. The drone program is a tool for leadership and learning within the school culture.
- Drones involve critical thinking, engineering and collaborative problem-solving. You should align drone use with curriculum standards, make sensible, scalable equipment investments, support professional development for teachers, and measure student success in soft skills as well as technical lessons. This allows schools to move beyond the drone buzz. A sustainable drone program isn’t about the flight, it’s about the foundation.
EdTech
