Exit Tickets

Using Entrance and Exit Tickets to Support Student Voice and Alleviate Classroom Anxiety

In university classrooms, students often hesitate to voice their questions or concerns aloud, fearing judgment or feeling unsure about the relevance of their thoughts. One simple yet powerful instructional strategy to address this challenge is the use of entrance and exit tickets—brief written prompts completed at the beginning or end of a class session. These tools not only foster student engagement but also create a safe space for students to express uncertainties and reflect on their learning.

What Are Entrance and Exit Tickets?

• Entrance tickets are short prompts students respond to at the start of class. They can assess prior knowledge, gather opinions, or check for understanding of pre-class readings.

• Exit tickets are completed at the end of class and typically ask students to summarize what they learned, pose a question, or reflect on a concept they found challenging.

Benefits for Student Engagement and Emotional Safety

1. Encouraging Silent Voices: Exit and entrance tickets provide a low-stakes way for students to ask questions they might be too shy or anxious to raise during class discussions. This can be especially helpful in large lecture halls or for students from underrepresented backgrounds.

2. Formative Assessment: These tickets offer instructors real-time feedback on student understanding, allowing them to adjust instruction accordingly. This responsiveness can help students feel seen and supported in their learning journey.

3. Promoting Metacognition: By reflecting on what they’ve learned or what they still find confusing, students engage in metacognitive practices that deepen learning and retention.

4. Building Classroom Community: When instructors respond to ticket content in subsequent classes, it signals to students that their voices matter, fostering a more inclusive and responsive learning environment.

Practical Tips for Implementation

• Use tools like Google Forms, Microsoft Forms, or platforms like Socrative for digital tickets.

• Keep prompts simple and focused (e.g., “What’s one thing you’re still unsure about?” or “What’s one key takeaway from today’s class?”).

• Review responses promptly and address common themes in the next session.

• Rotate between entrance and exit tickets to vary the reflective focus.

• Manage your time wisely as this may not be best suited for a large lecture without TA support.

A concise look at entrance/exit tickets by Matt Miller.