University Libraries

Top Hat visiting Penn State to help faculty increase engagement in courses

Top Hat’s comprehensive student engagement platform, featuring dynamic content, interactive tools, and dedicated support services. Credit: Top Hat. All Rights Reserved.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.— On Sept. 11 and 12, Penn State IT, Teaching and Learning with Technology (TLT), the College of Engineering, and the College of Information Sciences and Technology (IST) are partnering with Top Hat to offer a series of workshops designed to help faculty increase engagement in their courses. Available to use free of charge for all Penn State faculty and students, the Top Hat platform offers a variety of tools educators can use to deliver interactive, personalized learning.

The two-day event will consist of an overview of Top Hat’s most powerful features, including discussions, polls and quizzes. It will cover Top Hat’s ability to create customizable course materials to reduce costs and deliver a more tailored learning experience. As part of the interactive digital book fair, attendees will have the opportunity to test-drive Top Hat’s content capabilities and explore the company’s catalog of open and affordable educational resources. The event also will feature talks from Penn State faculty from across disciplines, discussing how they use the platform to enhance their teaching and improve student engagement in courses large and small.

The featured keynote will be delivered by Bradley Cohen, chief academic officer at Top Hat and the former chief strategy and innovation officer at Ohio University. Cohen will share how instructors can use intentional course design to foster belonging, support student-centered assessment, and create learning experiences that endure in students’ minds.

Open to all Penn State faculty, this event is ideal for longtime users, newcomers, or those just interested in improving student engagement. In-person attendance at the University Park campus is recommended; however, a virtual option will be available for those who can’t attend in person.

To view daily agendas, including times and locations for each session, and register, visit the Top Hat on Campus webpage.

Last Updated August 23, 2024