The Exit Ticket and One-Minute Paper
At the end of class, consider expanding your use of online technology to encourage low-stakes writing.
How do you consistently signal your students that your class is about to wrap up? Let me share a short tip that works well and comes with the following two bonuses:
Students can signal you that they would like an office hours appointment.
Students engage in a low-stakes writing activity known as the “one-minute paper.”
What technology do I use? The "Socrative" online tool works well and is available at www.socrative.com. Students do not need to register or pay for the site. Instructors can set up a basic account at no cost and receive access to quiz features and a pre-built “Exit Ticket.”
Start the exit ticket activity within the last 10 minutes of class. The key is to be consistent. Students can respond using their smartphone or laptop. After students complete the ticket, they can also use this time to meet with you one-on-one with quick questions.
Socrative automatically provides three formatted questions that the student will answer, as described by Dickie (2023). In this tip, I share my experiences below with each question.
Question #1: How well did you understand today's material?
My experiences: For the past few semesters, I have asked students to signal that they would like me to reach out by selecting the response “C.” At the end of each day, I review responses and send a personal email to each student. In a class of 33 students, I typically have one to two students signal me and set up an office hours appointment using this method. In short, office hours have increased, and students appear more comfortable reaching out for help using the exit ticket option.
Question #2: What did you learn in today's class?
My experiences: This is a good reflection question. I usually scan the responses and look for emerging patterns. Every day is different, and you may get some surprises here!
Question #3: Please answer the teacher’s question. (This prompts the student to answer the teacher's question which can be written on the board, projected on a screen, or verbally said out loud in class).
My experiences: Be creative and experiment. If you are stuck, Asarta (2024) has some good advice about traditional prompts for a one-minute paper. It's best to write the prompt on the board vs. reading it out loud in class. When I started using the exit ticket, I read question #3 out loud and repeated it most of the time. Writing the question on the board instead makes it easier for the students to understand and respond.
Make sure you also vary question #3 from class to class. If you ask the same question every time, students will disengage and may view the writing activity as busy work.
One way to connect with students is by asking them to share personal stories in question #3. For instance, before a school break, you can share your favorite comfort food and why it's important to you. Then, for question #3, you can ask the student for their favorite—it's a simple way to use course activities to include human meaning and a discussion of the economics of traditions.