TopHat
Top Hat
Top Hat is a student engagement platform tailored for higher education that transforms lectures into active learning environments. It supports polling, quizzes, interactive textbooks, attendance tracking, homework, assessments, and analytics.
Overview
Top Hat is a cloud-based, all-in-one student engagement tool designed for colleges and universities. It enables instructors to deliver interactive lectures, formative assessments, discussions, and digital textbooks with embedded content. Students participate via their own devices—mobile, tablet, or laptop—making it a flexible tool for both in-person and online instruction.
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Conduct polls, quizzes, discussions, and attendance tracking in real time.
AI-assisted quiz and summary generation using Ace, Top Hat’s AI assistant.
Interactive, customizable digital textbooks with embedded multimedia and questions.
Canvas integration for grade syncing.
Analytics dashboards to monitor engagement and performance.
Participate in live polls, quizzes, and discussions via mobile or web.
Access interactive course materials and digital textbooks.
Submit homework and assessments online.
Use AI-enhanced tools for studying, such as generated practice questions and summaries.
Instructors seeking a free tool without student costs.
Offline use in classrooms with poor connectivity.
Fully asynchronous courses with minimal student interaction.
Requires students to have an active paid subscription and an updated browser. See Top Hat System Requirements.
Not a full LMS; works best as a supplement to platforms like Canvas.
Begin with attendance tracking and real-time polling to boost in-class participation.
Assign Top Hat homework to replace or complement paper-based assignments.
Use AI features to generate quizzes from lecture slides and provide student feedback.
Integrate with Canvas for grade and roster syncing.
Complies with WCAG 2.1 AA and Section 508 standards.
Supports screen readers, dark mode, mobile optimization, and captions.
Recommend instructors verify accessibility of any custom content (e.g., uploaded videos).
See additional Top Hat accessibility resources.
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General Information
Students can use Top Hat on mobile devices or browsers. Courses may require a subscription, which can range from a single term to multi-year plans. Students should check their syllabus or ask instructors about required materials and licensing.
Resources
Cost: Cost to Student
Status: Approved Software
How to Access
Instructor: Create an account on Top Hat’s website. If you have a login, go to Top Hat Login, create a course, then integrate with Canvas.
Student: Create an account on Top Hat’s website. If you have a login, go to Top Hat Login.
Get Help
Search Active Learning Platform - Using Top Hat (for Instructors) orTop Hat documentation
Still need help? Contact Top Hat Support
Want to talk with someone at Virginia Tech? Go to the 4Help Portal, sign in, and select Get Help.