Increasing Teachers’ Bioenergy Knowledge
Teachers from SMILE schools attend professional development workshops where bioenergy activities and materials are presented. The workshops focus on three outcomes related to bioenergy: increasing teacher knowledge, sharing activities and materials, and discussing how to engage youth from diverse backgrounds in STEM topics.
The teacher trainings we do with SMILE seek to build regional awareness and interest in bioenergy through hands-on science experiences, as well as access to equipment, mentoring, computer networking, teacher training and administrative support. In addition, teachers work in SMILE’s inventive after-school clubs engaging students in problem-based learning so students can apply their skills and knowledge in the context of bioenergy.