Minute Paper / Muddiest Point

• To facilitate students’ recall of content they have learned,
• To help them self-assess their understanding of the material,
• To focus, collect, and organize their thoughts around a topic before a discussion, or
• To discover which points students are having difficulty understanding to guide further instruction.

• Laptop, or tablet, or mobile phone
• Top Hat mobile app installed on a tablet or mobile phone
• Classroom with campus wireless connection
• Resources for student access to computers

The following workflow is meant as guidance for how you can facilitate a Minute Paper/Muddiest Point active learning activity within a classroom with a physical distancing layout.

Pre-Class

• Identify a concept in a lecture, article, video, or a gap in knowledge identified through a prior activity (e.g., quiz or online discussion).
• Craft a question to which students will respond in class. The question should be difficult enough to elect careful thought or reflection, but not too difficult that the response would not fit on a half-sheet of paper. Try to answer the question yourself.
• Decide when the activity will take place (beginning, middle, or end of the class).
• Plan to set aside five to ten minutes of class for this activity, as well as time later to discuss the results.

In-Class

• Introduce the activity by presenting the question to which students will respond.
  • Option 1: Send students to a shared Google Doc (one that does not require users to log in (to ensure anonymity). Tell students to use the Google Docs document to write their responses to the prompt.
  • Option 2: Send students to a Google Form that does not require users to log in (to ensure anonymity). Tell students to use the Google Form to write their responses to the prompt.
  • Option 3: Send students to use their laptops/mobile phones to enter the Top Hat course space. Present a Top Hat discussions question that is set up for anonymous posts. Tell students to write their responses to the prompt there.
• Let students know how much time they have to complete the activity (usually two to five minutes is sufficient). Explain the kind of answers you want (words, phrases, or short sentences), and how you will use the information, and when they can expect your feedback.

Post-Class

• If collected, review papers.
• Discuss the results of the activity at the next class meeting. 

• Classroom furniture is not to be rearranged to facilitate activities. If you need a different general assignment classroom to meet your instructional needs, contact your curricular representative.
• If students are to move around the room during an activity, consider the mobility, location, equipment, and furniture needs of all students.
• The physical distance between students (particularly in large lecture halls) may make it difficult for students to hear one another when they are asked to speak.
• This same physical distance may increase the noise level in the room as students try to speak to one another. This noise level may cause issues for some students. To this end, it is recommended that group size be limited to pairs (ideally) or triads at most. Activities requiring larger group sizes should utilize text-based chat solutions like those found in Blackboard Collaborate Ultra.
• The technologies recommended here should meet most campus accessibility requirements. However, you should check with the McBurney Disability Resources Center for guidance on any specific accommodations for your students.

• Using Top Hat Discussion Question Types
• Creating A Document Template in Google Docs
• Using Google Docs Chat Feature to Collaborate
• Using Google Forms to Solicit Student Reflections
• Using Breakout Rooms in Blackboard Collaborate Ultra
• Using Blackboard Collaborate Ultra with iOS Devices

[coming soon]

Angelo, Thomas A., and K. Patricia Cross. Classroom Assessment Techniques: a Handbook for College Teachers. Jossey-Bass, 1993. pp. 148-158.