Case Study: Students Discover Academy Part 1 - The Field Experience

What Is Students Discover Academy?
In today’s age of education we think one of the keys to students academic success is providing them as many opportunities for the Three E’s 1) (early) exposure, engagement and experience. With so many distractions in today’s world how exactly do you do that? It is our belief you do this through a mixture of “traditional” educational practicing coupled with real world applications that make for deeper learning experiences for students, and that’s exactly what we were able to be a part of with the Students Discover Academy.

Spearheaded by program coordinator Laura Albrecht, The Students Discover Academy, is a National Science Foundation grant funded initiative. The program takes rising freshmen from both Knightdale High School and East Wake High School through a three week summer program that allows students to participate in real-world, authentic science research, connect with scientists and other Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) professionals. At the beginning of the program students were challenged with coming up with a scientific research question that would be the focal point of their research. In addition to in-class research, students (scientists) would take weekly field experiences which culminated in a final group presentation at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Science.
“… our role was not to be the focal point, but rather, to use the drones as an auxiliary tool aimed to help the students “connect the dots’ and deepen their overall understanding.”
The Skyport Experience (How We Helped)
Skyport Drones was brought in to help students see some of the many ways that UAV’s (drones) are being used by scientists and researcher throughout the country. As we’ve often stated, most people are not aware of even half the capabilities of drones, so it was important for us to show the students real world applications in which drones are being used to assist researchers everyday.
Thursdays were used for field experiences days, and thanks to a partnership with the Triangle Land Conservancy students had access to over 400 acres of the Walnut Hill Nature Preserve. Several motioned censored cameras were placed throughout various locations on the preserve, aiming to observe which animals passed through and capturing them on camera, the students would take the data acquired back into the classroom for further research.
“…we sent up drones armed with tracking sensors, and had one of the students volunteer to be the “wild animal” being tracked. Both fascinated and understandably a little creeped out, the students were able to get a first-hand look at tracking devices via drones.”
In this particular case our role was not to be the focal point, but rather to use the drones as an auxiliary tool aimed to help the students “connect the dots’ and deepen their overall understanding.
One of the immediate use cases that we wanted to highlight, was how drones are currently being used by animal behaviorist to track and observe animals in their natural habitat. To demonstrate this concept we sent up drones armed with tracking sensors, and had one of the students volunteer to be the “wild animal” being tracked. Both fascinated and understandably a little creeped out, the students were able to get a first-hand look at tracking devices via drones.
Furthering the use of drones, the students were also able to see how using drones would aide scientists ability to learn more about an animals natural habitat, by getting better vantage points of their surroundings and which helped them make assumptions on how/why some environments are more conducive than others. Lastly, we were able to show some of the mapping and surveying capabilities that can be used, again deepening the understanding on how habitat and environment play crucial roles in animal behavior.

After an exciting field day filled with plenty of fun and the Three E’s, the students headed back to Knightdale High with their data to begin preparing for Presentation Day!
Click here to check out Student Discovery Academy Part 2: Presentation Day at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Science.
We’d love to hear from you, feel free to contact us for a FREE Consultation to discuss how Skyport Drones can help you.
info@skyportdrones.com
