News

Posted: Jul 21, 2014 - 12:00pm

K-12 teachers who are taking part in the National Science Foundation Research Experience for Teachers program got a crash course recently in Arduinos on how they can incorporate small microcontrollers into lessons for their science students.

Bruce Milne, a UNM professor of biology and the founder of UNM’s sustainability studies program, provided an overview of the technology needed to get started. He calls Arduinos “accessible to everyone” and “a transformative way to teach STEM disciplines.”

Arduinos are inexpensive (about $25) and very customizable to a wide variety of projects. With some basic electronics, programming, and mechanics knowledge, the sky is the limit as to what kinds of data the device can collect. Milne said he uses the technology in sustainable garden projects, such as tracking growing degree days and measuring ambient air temperature and light.

Read the full story at UNM Newsroom.