Spontaneous feedback from students on their current state of mind in a course is rare and is very brief when prompted. Just a few minutes' reflection time and the opportunity to record their thoughts in writing give students the courage to express themselves and usually lead to a more intensive discussion of the course. A suitable, quick method is the card enquiry.
Students are asked to answer a few key questions, which usually serve to evaluate the current status of the course. They are given 3-5 minutes to think about this. They write their answers on cards. These can be blank moderation cards or index cards or, if necessary, simple blank pieces of paper. Cards already printed with the question(s) are convenient.
The form of feedback after the reflection period can be organised in different ways:
- Anonymous: At the end of the course, the cards are handed in to the lecturer without any comments or names on them. The teacher can analyse them and discuss them with the students in the following course.
- Open 1: Each or some of the students are asked for feedback. This is usually done on the basis of what is written on the card. The cards remain with the students.
- Open 2: The cards are briefly presented by the students and collected on a moderation wall. There are then opportunities for sorting and grouping, prioritising important/frequent mentions and joint discussion at a glance.
