Professional Voices, Competitive Skies: Empowering Students Through Drone Alliances

0–5 min | Introduction & Icebreaker Welcome participants and share the session goals. Icebreaker: quick pair-and-share where attendees describe a time they had to communicate clearly under pressure (sets the stage for the session’s focus on communication + drones). 5–25 min | The ADC Experience: Stories, Testimonials, and Evidence Overview of the Aerial Drone Competition (ADC) and its emphasis on teamwork, alliances, and professional expression. Share student video clips or live-read testimonials showcasing growth in public speaking, collaboration, and professional communication. Present supporting evidence: student writing samples, reflection prompts, or data showing growth in communication and technical skills. 25–45 min | Live Demo: CoDrone EDU in Action Demonstration of CoDrone EDU’s basic functions and coding interface. Walkthrough of how students approach strategy, problem-solving, and communication when coding drones in real time. Invite attendees to engage by predicting challenges students might encounter. 45–55 min | Transition: Mock Interview Activity Introduction Explain the mock interview activity and how it mirrors students’ experiences. Connect coding tasks with communication: students must articulate strategies, explain reasoning, and reflect on outcomes. 55–65 min | Hands-On Coding Activity Attendees complete a short coding challenge using the CoDrone EDU (or simulation if live drones aren’t possible). Encourage them to collaborate as “teams,” modeling student alliances under pressure. 65–80 min | Mock Interviews & Grading Reflection Attendees pair up for a mock interview: one acts as the “student,” explaining their coding choices and strategy; the other acts as the “judge/teacher,” giving feedback. Reflection on grading: discuss how communication and technical explanation can be assessed alongside performance. 80–90 min | Closing & Reflection Whole-group reflection: how drone competitions can grow communication skills, teamwork, and professional expression. Final student video or quote to bring the focus back to authentic voices. Q&A and resources for integrating drones into instruction.

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