Rachel Kuntz

Kuntz’s innovative teaching idea, “Stimulating STEM Studies with Storms: STEaMing up the Classroom with Robotics”, is designed to help students, particularly female students, increase their interest in STEM subjects through the use of LEGO MINDSTORMS Education EV3 robots and the EV3 Design Engineering Project curriculum. Robotics in the classroom brings an emotional engagement. It allows students interaction with physical devices where they learn by doing. It also provides a multi-disciplinary approach to learning. Not only can robots inspire an interest in science, they also can teach basic life skills such as problem solving, decision making, goal setting, and logical thinking. Robots alone allow students to apply and learn skills related to physics, computer science, engineering and mathematics. By participating in this engaging STEM-based (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) activity, female students would learn how interesting and fun STEM can be. Kuntz, who lives in Las Vegas, believes students taking part in open-ended, problem-solving activities will make learning about science, technology, engineering and mathematics interesting and entertaining.