In a spring 2024 survey, UW–Madison students raved about Top Hat—a powerful, convenient student response system that allows instructors to launch real-time polls and other feedback interactions in the classroom.
An impressive 411 students participated in the survey, providing valuable insights into the tool’s effectiveness. The data provides a snapshot of student perspectives and the impact of Top Hat on their learning:
- 96% of students agreed that “Top Hat is easy to use”
- 85% agreed that Top Hat helped them feel engaged in their learning
- 71% agreed that “Top Hat helped me better understand the lecture”
- 75% agreed that “Top Hat helped me better understand course material”
- 62% claimed Top Hat helped them feel better connected to their instructor
- 75% agreed Top Hat helped them “be successful in my course”
- 92% recommended their instructor use Top Hat again
- 88% would like their instructors in other courses to use Top Hat
Real-time interactions aid understanding, drive focus
Some common themes emerged from the respondents’ written feedback, including Top Hat’s ease of use.
- Many students noted Top Hat allowed them to easily interact in class without the social discomfort of speaking or raising their hands. As one student put it, they “liked that I could put my answers forward without raising my hand or getting called out. This made being wrong less scary.”
- Another student appreciated “how interactive it was, and to see how my viewpoints differ from my classmates.”
- Students also appreciated how Top Hat aided their learning process. As one noted, they liked “getting real-time feedback on class content, which allowed me to check my understanding and shift focus during lecture.”
Perhaps the largest takeaway was how students felt engaged in their course and learning. As one student noted: “It was an engaging way to try questions, [and] made large lectures feel smaller.”
Although students expressed overall satisfaction with Top Hat, there were also some concerns:
- Some students noted technical issues and pointed out that Top Hat should “improve the mobile experience.”
- Students also report that adoption varies from instructor to instructor, indicating that students thought instructors could become more confident in using the tool.
Learn more about Top Hat
Top Hat is meant for instructors and instructional technologists looking for more ways to engage their students and gauge their understanding in real time.
Training sessions: Aug 20 & 30
Virtual training sessions for Top Hat are scheduled for August 20 and 30. Registration prior to the event is recommended; you can register for each event from the Events Calendar.
Or:
- Read this overview of Top Hat on the KnowledgeBase
- Reach out to consultants in your local school or college
- Request a consultation with a DoIT Academic Technology consultant through the DoIT Help Desk