Reflections on the one-minute paper

•The OMP is perceived to be beneficial by both the lecturer and the students.•The use of the OMP is perceived to positively influence the lecturer and student relationship.•Questions focussed on the content of the lecture help students link ideas and construct knowledge.•The benefits of using the OMP increase if the lecturer invests sufficient time to reflect and develop new materials in response to it.•The OMP can be developed and administered to meet and fit in with the lecturer’s needs and constraints.

This paper captures the perceptions of both a new academic and his students on the use of the one-minute paper (OMP). Much of the originality of this paper derives from the multi-layered qualitative approach which provides a deeper insight into the direct and indirect mechanism through which the OMP is perceived to work. This paper argues that, more than the prevailing literature suggests, in order to increase the benefits of using the OMP then considerable investment in time is required. The findings show that the academic’s cost in terms of time is greatest when asking ‘lecturer effectiveness’ type questions, but the benefits derived are potentially longer term than standard ‘lecture content’ based question. Students value the use of the OMP, principally because it demonstrates respect for them; this helps to create an atmosphere of trust, which can encourage engagement and an active approach to student learning. The research informs a discussion on how practical implementation techniques can be used to maximise the benefits and limit the costs.