[The following article appears in the May 1995 edition of
_TQM_in_Higher_Education_, pages 3 to 5.]


               A MODIFIED ONE MINUTE ASSESSMENT

Kathleen Taylor, Chair, Dept. of Portfolio Development,
Saint Mary's College of California

     Long before I heard about TQM, ongoing student assessment of
my teaching was important to me. For many years, I engaged my
students in "plus/delta" feedback at various times during a
course. (The "plus" column tells me what is positive, is
effective, should stay the "delta" column describes what could be
changed.) But the success of this assessment depends on students'
willingness to speak out.
     Despite my assurances that as an instructor I learn most
from the "delta" column, some students are reluctant to state
what they think of as critical feedback. Then I heard Tom Angelo
describe his "One Minute Assessment"--a brief, written, and
anonymous student response to elements of a course. (For a more
detailed description, see below and Angelo and Cross' Classroom
Assessment Techniques).
     I tried this with my next class. "Personal and Professional
Assessment" is the required first course for every student in the
Saint Mary's adult degree completion program. PPA focuses on
theories of adult development, particularly as they apply to
adult learners and learning. A major product of the course is a
portfolio of experiential learning essays that can be submitted
to appropriate departments of the college for evaluation for
credit toward the degree.
     PPA is a challenging learning experience for many students--
for some, because they've been out of the educational mainstream
for many years. But even students who've recently completed the
two years of college required for admission often have
reservations about their abilities to achieve in our accelerated
program, especially in light of their professional and family
responsibilities.
     Students are also concerned and confused about how to write
the essays, which requires a kind of thinking they only vaguely
understand--inductively examining their work and life experiences
to develop principles that fit relevant disciplines.
     Since I had used the plus/delta process with many previous
classes, I was surprised to discover a major difference in the
responses I received using the One-Minute Assessment,
particularly the angst it revealed.
     For example, early in the course a student wrote: "I'm
enjoying this class right now, but I'm afraid that five weeks
from now, when the first essay is due, I'm going to be totally
lost." I decided that the plus/delta method had concentrated on
the course and the instructor; the One-Minute Assessment allowed
students to be more open about themselves. (The guiding questions
you pose may affect this outcome--see below.)
     Though I incorporated responses to students' feedback in
subsequent class meetings, I was frustrated at not being able to
specifically address certain learners' anxieties. (These weren't
the sorts of concerns and comments that were appropriate to
simply read aloud, even if the author remained anonymous.) So by
the time my next course started--this time with traditional-aged
undergraduates in a course on gender and development--I had
modified Angelo's technique.
     I asked learners to identify their assessment cards with
some symbol, word, or alias only they would recognize. Then, in
addition to my general, in-class responses, I also acknowledged
each student's comments in writing and provided more expanded
responses, where indicated. Although I didn't know who "Sunny"
was, or who had drawn a "happy face," when I handed the cards
back at the next session, the students could quickly spot their
own, without having to read through everyone else's. These
younger students were particularly astonished--and pleased--to be
invited to anonymously express even negative opinions, and to see
changes as a result.
     Even without my modification, the One-Minute Assessment (and
its variations as described in Angelo and Cross' book) is a
surprisingly effective tool that can support immediate
improvement in the learning environment. For example, after some
students described their reservations about particular classroom
interactions, I was able to restructure subsequent activities to
encourage greater participation.
     In both age groups, students' end-of-course evaluations
indicated that they appreciate such responsiveness to their
needs. They also like the opportunity to comment and be responded
to as individuals while still preserving their anonymity.

THE ONE-MINUTE ASSESSMENT

     I do One-Minute Assessments several times during a course--
more frequently at the beginning and after particularly
challenging sessions. I emphasize to the students that all of
their feedback ("negative" and "positive") is welcome and
necessary. I also encourage them not only to tell me what didn't
work but, if they can, to suggest specific ways to Improve.
     About five minutes before the end of class, I hand out 4x6
index cards and ask two questions (which I also write on the
board), one to be answered on each side of the card. These
guiding questions may be about the content of the class, (e.g.
"What was the muddiest point in today's class/what was the
clearest?") or about the process (e.g. "What worked best for you
about what we did in class today/what worked least well?")
     At a minimum, I respond to each side of the card with some
brief acknowledgment or appreciation. Students value the fact
that I've read every comment. At the beginning of the next class
meeting, I synthesize and respond to the common issues, attempt
to clear up misapprehensions, and so forth. This often leads to
excellent discussions, which are a great way to begin the
session. 

     For more information, contact: Kathleen Taylor, Chair,
Department of Portfolio Development, Saint Mary's College of
California, P.O. Box 4700, Moraga, CA 94575; Ph: 510/631-4510;
Email: ktaylor@galileo.stmarys-ca.edu