Technology may be the domain of the young, but it’s one of our favorite teaching tools at the Brunswick School Department — and students love it.

Michelle Russo, Brunswick Junior High School’s technology integrator, and Andrew Kosak, a sixth-grade social studies teacher, introduced four drones to BJH last year for our geography classes. Drones “add a level of interest and excitement,” Russo said, while enhancing our important STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) offerings.

The drones were funded through a Teach with Technology grant from the Department of Education. This year, a grant from the Brunswick Community Education Foundation added four more.

After drone lessons and practice on campus, classes venture out for hands-on learning at local spots, such as Wharton Point, Maquoit Bay and the Androscoggin River basin. Each drone is assigned a team, including a pilot who handles the controls, a copilot to observe and watch out for obstacles, and a safety manager who ensures protocols are followed.

In addition to connecting with the community and learning about its geography, classes have created their own “Google Maps” of local sites visited.

Best of all, engagement has been terrific — boys, girls, multilingual learners and special education students are excited to take turns with a drone.

Michelle and Andrew were invited to speak at the Association of Computer Technology Educators of Maine conference last fall, sharing how drones bring geography lessons to life.

Drones have become game-changers in countless fields, from real estate and professional sports to infrastructure inspection and law enforcement. Someday, one of our students may use a drone to promote a new high-rise in New York City or photograph a Super Bowl.

Perhaps the technology with the greatest impact has been the internet, and we’re teaching our eighth-grade history students how to navigate this treasure trove of educational material while avoiding the vast amount of misinformation that lives alongside it.

Times have changed. In my day, we went to the library, looked up our subject in the encyclopedia and checked out a book or two. The sources were vetted, and we never worried about misinformation.

While internet research may sound boring, our terrific history teachers at Brunswick Junior High School have found a way to make it one of the most popular projects. More on that in a minute.

To begin, students choose a famous person who made a positive and enduring impact on American history and delve into their subject. Past selections include George Washington, Jackie Robinson and Sally Ride.

While there is an element of paper-based research, much of the project involves online work, where students learn how to use a database, check references, and identify valid and reliable sources. They’re taught to use alternative search engines (other than just Google) to search across the web and to not always click on the first link that comes up.

The module includes two or three assignments a week and culminates with Biography Day. The students, dressed as their subject, offer a presentation of four to six minutes to a sixth- or seventh-grade class. While there may be some trepidation about public speaking, history teacher Josh Levy tells me that many students are eager to speak, and those who hesitate soon discover it’s “not as bad as they thought.” All of the participants then join in a parade through the school.

The drone and Biography Day projects share two common elements. First, we recognize the importance of teaching real-life skills to prepare students for a changing world. In addition, they make learning fun. When students are engaged and vested in the learning experience, we see an increase in their retention and an eagerness to take on the next challenge. And that’s what learning is all about.

Phillip Potenziano is superintendent of Brunswick schools.