(PHOTO CAPTION) (L-R BACK) Samuel Oliver, Cameron Symes, Thomas Fox, Grace Kelly, Dakota Webb, Shania Axford (FRONT) Kathryn Charles, Kaitlin Hards, Claudia Fox, Hannah Fox, Evette Rowe.
Werrimull P-12 has lifted learning to the sky, with the purchase of two drones to be used as part of its STEM Education program.
Students in years seven to ten have been busy mastering the drone technology, with a project underway to create a collaborative flying advertisement for the school.
Teacher Chris Harris said the project had proven a creative winner; providing practical and theoretical stimulus for student engagement.
“The drones have really captured the interest of the students, which has been quite rewarding because the very aim of our STEM program is to encourage creativity, critical thinking and enhanced problem solving skills,” Mr Harris said.
“It’s not as simple as putting the drones in the sky to go for a fly; the kids have spent a great deal of time learning about the technology that goes into drones, as well as the technology that can accompany and enhance them.”
Before learning to fly the small devices, pupils had to investigate the rules and regulations surrounding the recreational use of drone technology.
They then mastered the operation of handheld remote controls and the various camera options available for filming.
“They really enjoyed learning how to use the special action shots, which allows the drone to autonomously follow a person, as well as the ‘rocket’ feature, in which the drone focuses tightly on a particular area and then shoots up high into the sky for a panoramic view,” Mr Harris said.
“As it turns out, the footage we were getting back from their filming was really impressive so we decided to expand the project by getting the students to create an advertising video, showcasing our school and all it has to offer.”
When complete, the videos will be uploaded to the school’s social media platforms for all to see.
“This has created a whole new layer of learning derived from the drones, with students having to plan their scenes, plan their camera shots, and then edit their footage to create fluent film sequences,” Mr Harris said.
“It has been a great example of relatively easy ways to make learning fun.”
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