How to implement the strategy

Pre-class preparation: 

1.  Spend a few minutes analysing the content through the student lens.  Ask yourself 

• What is useful about the material? 
• How does this relate to students? 
• Why should they be excited to learn this? 

2.  With these questions in mind, create a brief scenario using a situation or current affairs topic pertinent to the subject of the session.   
3.  Place the students at the centre of the scenario by formulating questions that prompt them to examine their beliefs, feelings and assumptions.  The aim is to create a circumstance that students can relate to, is emotive and meaningful.  

In class activity: 
4.  Spend the first 2-3 crucial minutes at the beginning of the teaching session exploring the selected scenario, guiding students to articulate their perspectives and values. 
5.  Transition to the rest of the session and continue to motivate students by keeping their perspective and values at the centre of your teaching.   

Professor Weber is an assistant professor of Law at the US Air Force Academy, his Faculty Focus blog post details an example on incorporating the crucial two minutes activity.   
Weber, M. W. S. (2019, April 24). The Most Crucial Two Minutes of Class [Web log post]. 

Online Discussion: At times, it can be tricky to elicit responses from students in the online environment.  Invite students to use Emojis or GIFs or type a response in the chat space of the platform you are using.  

The purpose of the strategy

At the heart of successful active learning lie activities and teaching practices that students find meaningful and inspirational. When students can relate to, and identify the value in what they are learning, they develop an intrinsic motivation to study. Through this innate motivation students adopt deep approaches to learning that foster long-term memory formation and life-long learning habits.   

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Further Reading 

Harackiewicz, J. M., & Hulleman, C. S. (2010). The importance of interest: The role of achievement goals and task values in promoting the development of interest. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 4(1), 42-52. doi:10.1111/j.1751-9004.2009.00207.x 

Perhaps the key to motivation lies in our understanding of the concept of interest.  In this paper the authors explore how interest develops and why it is important. 

Class size that is suitable for the strategy

• 100+ students
• 20 - 50 students
• 50+ students
• < 20 students

Activity group size

• Individual

Year level in which the strategy is often used

• First year
• Second year
• Third Year+

Discipline area (Academic Group) in which the strategy is often used

• Arts Education and Law
• Griffith Business School
• Griffith Health
• Griffith Sciences
• Other Group

Phase of the learning and teaching session in which the strategy will be used

• Introduction to session

Preparation time for the strategy

• Between 10 and 25 minutes

Duration of the strategy

• Less than 10 minutes

Level of learning outcome that the strategy is designed to address

• Understand

Learning space appropriate for the strategy

• Computer room
• Laboratory/studio
• Lecture theatre
• Online
• Seminar room
• Workshop

Preferred Citation

Learning Futures (2020). Crucial Two Minutes. Retrieved from https://app.secure.griffith.edu.au/exlnt/entry/8649/view