The University of Texas at Dallas
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Top Hat

The University of Texas at Dallas has partnered with Top Hat to offer a student engagement platform that enables instructors to incorporate active learning into various areas of their course. Instructors can use Top Hat’s student engagement platform during class to drive discussions, conduct live polls, and give students real-time feedback on how well they understand course concepts. The platform also allows asynchronous engagement through personalized interactive content, assignments, and assessments.

Cost

At UTD, the use of student engagement systems and choice of software is entirely the faculty’s decision.

The use of Top Hat’s student engagement platform involves an additional cost to students, which is not included in tuition. Considering recent legislature impacting undergraduate academic costs, we request faculty to review Provost Musselman’s memorandum dated Oct. 2, 2023, before incorporating this tool in undergraduate courses.

There are many student engagement solutions available in the market, with comparable functionality and features. Several are available for low or zero cost but may be unsuitable for academic use owing to data security concerns. Top Hat’s student engagement platform has been vetted by UT Dallas Info Sec and is compatible with FERPA and the University’s data security standards. The tool is integrated with the learning management system (eLearning), and results can be synced with the eLearning grade center.

Getting Started

Instructors who wish to use Top Hat in their courses can contact the vendor directly by emailing support@TopHat.com. The Top Hat team can help with initial setup, training, as well as individual consultation and instructional design support to achieve desired course outcomes.

Support

Faculty support

Instructors needing assistance with Top Hat can email support@TopHat.com, or use the in-app support button, or call 1-888-663-5491.

Student support

Students needing assistance with Top Hat can email support@TopHat.com, or call 1-888-663-5491 between 8am and 8pm CST.