Concept inventories and assessments are the topics for the winter 2009 issue of Focus on Microbiology Education.   Have you ever wondered what your students thought about—or worse, thought they knew about—the topic you were going to teach before you started to teach it?  If you have ever taught an introductory biology survey course, you probably found out, as one of your students asked a question that seemed to come from a far-off planet.   Check out Sam Donovan’s article on concept inventories as resources for improving teaching and learning.  We as educators are learning from other disciplines, namely physics, where the Force Concept Inventory was developed.  Gili Marbach-Ad’s article starts with a brief history of science education research into alternative conceptions.  We once called these “misconceptions.”  But are they?  Aren’t they more like that enthusiastic student’s question from an alternative planet?

Assessment articles go from the specific to the institutional.  Heidi Smith offers several great ideas to get your students writing to learn microbiology in a laboratory setting.  Those familiar with active learning will recognize the “what works/what needs improvement” aspect of the assignments.  Michaela Gazdik describes the use of rubrics for assessment and includes a sample rubric to get you started.    Beverly Smith-Keiling takes us on a different type of historical journey—from a time when research was low tech and available to some students and faculty to the present when demands and technology have changed.  Her article describes how assessment is the key to a successful outcome for a return to research. 

ASMCUE 2009 (the American Society for Microbiology Conference for Undergraduate Educators) is coming up at the end of May.  Let Jennifer Herzog’s overview fire up your enthusiasm, and make plans to attend the conference in Fort Collins, Colorado.

Look at Journal Watch for reviews of some of the articles mentioned by earlier authors, and at Web Watch for the FLAG (Field-tested Learning and Assessment Guide) site as well as two concept map sites. 

With this issue, FOME welcomes Meredith Brooks as production editor, and bids farewell to Jean Kayira, with many thanks for her years of wonderful service. 

Enjoy the issue!