A technology microgrant from the Jewish Education Project has enabled Mercaz Academy to create their first Media Lab in the form of a video recording studio, complete with a new iPad for recording and editing, a green screen, a teleprompter, and a drone for aerial recording.
Sixth graders at Mercaz Academy have been learning to operate the Media Lab on their own, with supervision and guidance from Director of Educational Technology Lynda Last. In September, the sixth grade was introduced to the new media lab and subsequently created their own Parshah Podcast with the new equipment, but until recently, the drone had not yet been brought into play. The annual Color Shalom competition, which takes place outdoors, was the incentive for students to take on some new challenges.
Working as a team during recess and lunch enrichment time, the sixth-grade students at Mercaz have been learning to operate the drone, beginning with indoor sites like the gymnasium and moving outside as they gained experience. This activity allows students to acquire expertise in piloting techniques, photography, and coding. Piloting the drone is also an exercise in collaboration, as the pilot looks through the lens of the drone (seeing what the drone sees) and the spotter watches the drone in the sky to ensure that it is operating safely and not flying into danger. The sixth graders have learned the necessary safety rules: The drone can fly no higher than 400 feet, must be grounded if there’s a plane nearby, and must stay clear of trees and wires.
The first team of drone pilots has been practicing aerial photography in and around the Plainview campus, and all the students at Mercaz are enjoying their new birds-eye view of the school.
