Types of exit tickets and example questions
A wide range of questions can be used in an exit ticket. The type of question you ask depends on your learning goals for a particular class and the other activities students engage in during class. Below are broad categories of questions, with some examples. You can decide which of these align with your course content and goals.
Reflecting on Learning
You may want your students to reflect on their learning in the course. These can be general reflections or can, instead, focus on students’ own behavior, your teaching, or specific aspects of the class session.
General reflections
- What is your main takeaway from today’s class?
- What is a lingering question from today’s class?
- What is something you learned from a classmate today?
- Write and answer your own exit-ticket question today.
Reflecting on individual behavior
- One of the goals of this class is to have all participants contribute to the seminar. How would you evaluate your own participation today?
- What could you have done today to help yourself learn better?
Reflecting on learning activities and teaching practices
- We did a concept map activity in class today. Was this a useful learning activity for you? Why or why not?
- I used the blackboard extensively today. Was its organization and content helpful to your learning? Why or why not?
- What aspects of today’s lecture helped your learning? What aspects did not help your learning?
- How did the group work today help you understand the content? What are some things you’d like to see during group work in the future?
- Which of the readings you did for class today was most helpful in preparing you for the lesson? Why?
- One of the goals of this class is to have all participants contribute to the seminar. How well do you think this was achieved today?
- How would you rate your current level of understanding of _______ ?
Checking Understanding
You may want to use an exit ticket at the end of most classes that asks students to apply new knowledge introduced in the class. You can then send students a Canvas Announcement or begin your next class by explaining the correct answer. The exact wording of this kind of exit ticket is dependent on the course material, but here are a few examples.
- Read this problem, and tell me what your first step would be in solving it.
- Answer this multiple choice question, based on content covered during class.
- Apply a concept learned in class to a real-world example.
- Describe how a concept learned in class can be applied to a real-world situation.
Options for Collecting Exit Tickets
Below are a number of ways you can collect exit tickets, organized from easiest to more complicated to implement. When deciding among these options, consider any tech tools you are already using in the classroom as well as which features, such as ease of grading in Canvas or the option to collect anonymous submissions, are essential to you.
- No tech: When social distancing isn’t a concern, students can write their answer on an index card or piece of paper and then submit it to you before leaving the classroom.
- Canvas Quiz: Have students submit their answer as a Canvas Quiz, which can be easily graded in Canvas. However, there are significant limitations to the anonymous Quiz option in Canvas, as anonymity can be removed by an instructor at any time.
- Google Form: Have students submit their answer via Google form, which can be set up to be anonymous.
- Poll Everywhere: If you are already using Poll Everywhere in your class for other polling, you can use this tool for exit tickets, which can be anonymous.
Additional Resources
This resource, in particular many of the example exit ticket questions, was inspired by Brown University’s Sheridan Center for Teaching and Learning’s page on Sample Exit Tickets and the Educause post on Beyond Formative Assessment. For an academic article on exit tickets, see Marzano (2012), “The Many Uses of Exit Slips.”