Classroom Assessment Techniques Minute Paper (Screen 3 of 6)

Teaching Goals

• Organizes information into meaningful categories
• Synthesize and integrate information, ideas, and concepts
• Think about the big picture and see connections among concepts
• Improve long-term memory skills for accessible knowledge
• Develop higher-level thinking skills, strategies, and habits
  
  
  

Suggestions for Use

The Minute paper works best when done on a regular basis so that you tap into a class’s conceptual progress for continuous improvement. I have found that weekly works well, but using them in every class results in overload for my students and me. As a semester progresses, the students will provide enhanced feedback as they grow comfortable with the activity. Generally, you should not offer credit towards the final grade in a course for the completion of the minute paper. They become a natural apart of the class, and so integrate assessment with instruction.


Step-by-Step Instructions

Pose a brief question or two to your students during the last few minutes of class, using an overhead transparency or a blackboard. Examples of questions are:

• What was the most important point of the class?
  
• What was the most surprising idea or concept?
  
• What question remains unanswered in your mind?
  
• What question from this class might appear on the next quiz/test?
  
• What was the muddiest point of the class?
  
• What was the main concept illustrated by the in-class demonstration/experiment?
  

I receive the best feedback when I use the "muddiest point" question.

Have the students ponder your question and write a short response (one or two sentences).
Collect the responses as the students leave the class.

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Introduction
Description, Purpose, and Limits
Goals, Use, and Instructions
Variations, Analysis, and Pro/Cons
Theory, Links, and Sources
Michael Zeilik
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