Florida Middle School Explores New Technologies with Help from Embry-Riddle Worldwide
Dozens of students at Buddy Taylor Middle School in Palm Coast, FL, got to experience some of the latest in aeronautics technology recently thanks to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s Worldwide Campus.
“The goal here is to inspire these kids about what can be done in the world through aeronautics and show them all the cool stuff we can do at Worldwide,” said Dr. Ken Witcher, Dean of the College of Aeronautics.
Students from Buddy Taylor’s 7th and 8th grade classes were given hands-on opportunities with one of the University’s unmanned aircraft systems as well as a chance to play with the Virtual Crash Lab. The crash lab gives students the opportunity to survey and inspect plane crashes and practice plane accident investigation techniques using virtual reality technology.
“Showing the kids the drones, and these types of immersive learning techniques really gets them excited,” said Witcher. “It shows that college can be more than just text and lecture.”
Christine Gaynor-Patterson, a teacher at Buddy Taylor Middle school, said that presentations like Witcher’s are helpful in supporting their STEM programs.
“With the focus on technology, it helps to expose our college preparatory students to the options of a blended platform and online learning, not just the brick and mortar,” she explained.
Read more in the Daytona Beach News-Journal.
