Top Hat at Iowa
Watch the following videos, where a University of Iowa professor discusses more about Top Hat and how it can be successfully utilized for your classes:
What is Top Hat?
Top Hat allows students to enter responses via their cell phones, laptops, or tablets through an app or web browser. Instructors create questions, discussions and interactive elements that can be mixed in with their class presentations. These tools have been used extensively for quizzes and tests, to direct classroom discussions, and provide feedback on course material.
Student Response Systems (SRSs) such as Top Hat can make your classes more interactive, facilitate class discussions, guide lectures, encourage peer instruction, allow for immediate student feedback, and allow for polling.
Recent updates:
Instructors can now order Top Hat through the ICON Direct Ordering Tool for a reduced cost to our students. The cost for a student license is only $15 per semester. Instructors can email ICON-Direct@uiowa.edu or log in to the ICON Direct Ordering Tool to place their own Top Hat content request. Many instructors have told us that the cost to students has been their primary barrier to ordering. We hope that this will allow more instructors to choose to order this tool.
Learn how Top Hat can help make classes more interactive by facilitating class discussions, guiding lectures, encouraging peer instruction, and offering polling options.
Accessing Top Hat
To access Top Hat, please navigate to http://tophat.com/.
Getting Started with Top Hat
Instructors
Instructors can now order Top Hat through the ICON Direct Ordering Tool for a reduced cost to UI Students. ICON Direct ordering deadlines apply to both Top Hat and other materials.
Use your HawkID and password to sign up for a free instructor account at Top Hat
Create content using the Top Hat Instructor Quick Start Guide
Sync Top Hat with your courses using ICON Integration
For tips on integrating Top Hat into your courses and for language to include in your syllabus, see the Teaching Best Practices page.
Students
Top Hat student licenses cost:
- $15 per semester, charged to your UBill through ICON Direct
- Students with an active license will not be charged
- If you are enrolled in more than one course that requires Top Hat in a single semester, you will only be billed once.
Visit the Top Hat Student Quick Start Guide for information on accessing Top Hat, response options, and grade book information.
Resources
- Teaching Best Practices
- How-To Guides
- Instructor Frequently Asked Questions
- Student Frequently Asked Questions
- Recorded Academic Technology Trainings
Support for Top Hat
Email the ITS Help Desk: its-helpdesk@uiowa.edu