Smith shares expertise on STEM instruction
University of Maine assistant professor Michelle Smith was a keynote speaker at the Knowledge Exchange on Undergraduate STEM Education in Virginia.
The National Science Foundation nominated Smith, the C. Ann Merrifield Professorship in Life Science Education in the School of Biology and Ecology and the RiSE Center, to take part in the collaborative.
Representatives from 14 federal agencies shared their expertise on improving undergraduate experiences and retention in science, technology, engineering and mathematics courses.
“The Knowledge Exchange was a wonderful venue to talk about how STEM faculty at UMaine and other institutions are using Evidence-Based Practices, such as clicker questions and small group activities, in the classroom,” says Smith.
“These instructional practices improve student learning and positively impact retention in the major.”
Smith and the other participants will turn the findings into a promising-practices paper and video series for educators and for an undergraduate research playbook.