Edustation: The New curricula teaching STEM through Flight Simulation
The modern curriculum evolves every day as the traditional approach of learning math and science in classrooms experiments the use of aviation. High schools, middle schools, and even elementary schools across the country are engaging in the Edustation Stem Lab. The Edustation Stem Lab is a portable flight simulator, designed to cover STEM labs, Aeronautics classes, and flying club activities in classrooms. Ready to be wheeled in any classroom, its curriculum guides both teachers and students to explore math and science principles.
The Edustation flight simulator complements classroom learning that involves problem solving with geometry, trigonometry, physics, and geography. What other engaging way to grasp both young boys and girl’s attention than allowing them the opportunity to fly? Students can fly from every airfield on the planet in of 50 different aircrafts. A Fredrick Douglas graduate, Josh Rivera explains, the course provided the students with an exciting and fun way to understand this critical information. Rivera later received a scholarship to college to become an airline pilot.
Students can work together with teams of 5 to plan and execute flight plans from a basic level through complex flights. Utilizing a little competitive spirit, the first group of students to become Captains͟, train the co-pilots who then train the other student pilots. Students in all elementary, middle, and high schools can activate the flight to validate actual vs. planned results in time and distance, calculated route, fuel consumption, speed over the ground, speed through the air and proper weight and balance of the aircraft. The Edustation Stem lab allows students to study the anatomy of an aircraft, the forces of flight and learn about the physics of flying. Research and creative writing is incorporated by students researching aviators and aviation history along with essay assignments on their findings.
Luckily, no prior aviation experience is required for teachers. The Edustation curriculum has been written by teachers who are certified pilots and developed in chapters for each subject are of study that includes exemplified teacher notes on subjects to explore in more depth. It is specially designed for the non-aviation teachers with simulator missions that have visual, verbal, and written tutorials for math and science principles.
Jay Leboff, CEO of HotSeat, a company that makes flight simulation equipment says,”The Edustation STEM Lab uses flight simulation to support math and science in a meaningful project based learning activity. There is a profound use of geometry, trigonometry, physics, geography, topography and astronomy in every flight plan. We work with elementary, middle, and high school programs across the country. The results of students who complete an aeronautics program are impressive.”