Valerie Haywood, senior instructor of biology, presented her ongoing work in undergraduate biology education at Plant Biology 2016, the annual meeting of the American Society of Plant Biologists, in Austin, Texas, in July. More than 1,300 scientists from nearly 40 countries participate in the meeting each year.

Haywood’s talk, ”Connect the Dots: Using Concept Maps to Overcome Students Misconceptions About Photosynthesis,” added to the growing body of evidence that has established the value of active learning in the classroom. Haywood’s work further demonstrated how teachers may unknowingly promote student misconceptions, underscoring the importance of classroom assessment.