TOP HAT ON CAMPUS

Penn State University, University Park Campus

Wednesday, September 11 & Thursday, September 12, 2024

Top Hat has partnered with Penn State IT, Teaching and Learning with Technology (TLT), the College of Engineering, and the College of Information Sciences and Technology (IST). Together we’re offering a series of workshops to help faculty get the most out of using Top Hat. Ideal for longtime users, newcomers, or those just interested in improving student engagement—all are welcome.

Dr. Bradley Cohen, Chief Academic Officer at Top Hat and the former Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer at Ohio University, will deliver the keynote address which will explore the fundamentals of intentional design and how faculty can use AI to provide clarity of purpose, foster belonging, and emphasize student-centered assessment in courses.

Attendees will also hear from faculty from across disciplines about how they are using Top Hat to enhance their teaching and improve student engagement in their courses.

Sessions are open to all Penn State faculty. In-person attendance is recommended. However, a virtual option will also be made available to those across the commonwealth.

See below for each day’s agenda!

Register now

Agenda: Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2024

W375 Westgate Building
Hourly visitor parking is available at the West Deck and the Nittany Parking Deck. Additional parking information is available on the Penn State Transportation Services website.

11:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.: Lunch

Enjoy some lunch to start the day, provided by Top Hat!

12 – 12:50 p.m.: Faculty Panel: Countering Student Disengagement in the Classroom

What can we do to get students to lean into the learning experience? In this discussion, we’ll share the perspective of Penn State faculty from the College of Engineering and the College of IST. What’s working? What isn’t? And how are go-to strategies like tailoring course content and emphasizing in-class activities with Top Hat creating a more lively, interactive learning environment?

Speakers:

• Tamy Guimarães, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Penn State University
• Katie Fitzsimons, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Penn State University
• Jhon Bueno Vesga, Associate Teaching Professor, College of Information Sciences and Technology, Penn State
• Dean Blackstock, IT Manager with Penn State IT and Adjunct Professor, College of Information Sciences and Technology, Penn State
• Chris Gamrat, Assistant Teaching Professor, College of Information Sciences and Technology, Penn State
• Bryce Schneider, Learning Assistant, College of Information Sciences and Technology, Penn State

1 – 1:50 p.m.: Getting Started with Top Hat: Designing a Large Lecture Class (beginner level)

This interactive workshop will guide faculty through the essentials of designing an engaging lecture experience with Top Hat. Discover how to integrate interactive content, polls and quizzes, and harness real-time feedback to create a dynamic learning environment.

Speakers:

• Derek Gittler, IT Service Manager, Penn State University
• Holden Milligan, Enterprise Engagement Manager, Top Hat

2 – 2:45 p.m.: Engage Students Beyond the Classroom (intermediate level)

Learn how to combine evidence-based teaching practices with the power of Top Hat to design and deliver flexible, high-impact student-centered learning. We’ll cover examples and best-practices for both synchronous and asynchronous courses.

Speaker:

• Holden Milligan, Enterprise Engagement Manager, Top Hat

2:45 – 3:30 p.m.: Leveraging Top Hat to Scaffold Students' Self-regulated Learning Outside of Class

In this workshop, faculty will use the Success through Self-Regulated Learning (StSRL) framework, a theoretically grounded and empirically-tested tool, and Top Hat to design and deliver course-specific SRL prompts. Faculty will learn how to set up prompts in Top Hat with attention to timing and frequency based on empirical evidence. Faculty are encouraged to bring their syllabi to generate SRL prompts based on content and course structure. Time will be provided to draft prompts, submit prompts for feedback, and discuss tool implementation.

Speakers:

• Jennelle Malcos, Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Students, Eberly College of Science, Penn State University
• Rayne Sperling Associate Dean, Undergraduate & Graduate Studies, College of Education, Penn State University
• Louis Leblond, Teaching Professor of Physics, Eberly College of Science, Penn State University
• Taylor Young, Educational Psychology PhD Student, College of Education, Penn State University

3:40 – 4:30 p.m.: Dynamic Content and Authoring

Get up to speed on Top Hat Pages, a content creation tool that allows you to incorporate text, multimedia, video and knowledge checks to create impactful readings and assignments. We’ll also explore how Top Hat’s custom publishing services support faculty interested in designing their own interactive texts.

Speakers: 

• Matthew Mihatov, Learning Solutions Consultant, Top Hat
• Holden Milligan, Enterprise Engagement Manager, Top Hat
• Lianna LaChappelle, Manager, Learning Solutions, Top Hat

Register now

Agenda: Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024

Barbara I. Dewey Meeting Room in West Pattee Library’s ground floor Collaboration Commons
Hourly visitor parking is available at the Nittany Parking Deck. Additional parking information is available on the Penn State Transportation Services website.

1 – 1:50 p.m.: Intentional Course Design in the Age of AI

Great courses are built upon moments of breakthrough insights, immersion, and flow reflective of deep engagement. In this session, we’ll explore the fundamentals of intentional design and how you can use AI to provide clarity of purpose, foster belonging, and emphasize student-centered assessment in your course.

Speaker:

• Dr. Bradley Cohen, Chief Academic Officer, Top Hat

2 – 2:50 p.m.: Faculty Panel

Hear from Penn State faculty on how they are incorporating Top Hat into their teaching practices!

Speakers:

• Amir Barzegar Marvasti, Professor of Sociology, Division of Education, Human Development & Social Sciences, Penn State
• John Haubrick, Assistant Teaching Professor, Statistics, Penn State
• Travis Lesser, Instructor, Coordinator of Farrell Center for Corporate Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Penn State
• Michelle Vigeant-Haas, Associate Professor of Acoustics and Architectural Engineering, Penn State
• Brian Naberezny, Assistant Teaching Professor, department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Penn State

3 – 3:50 p.m.: Dynamic Content: An Interactive Digital Book Fair

Experience how Top Hat eTexts enhance student engagement outside of class. Rotating through a series of stations, you’ll learn how features like Class Threads and AI-powered study support enhance community and strengthen student learning. You’ll also see how easy it is to customize Top Hat courseware to support your teaching objectives using Top Hat Pages.

Speakers:

• Matthew Mihatov, Learning Solutions Consultant, Top Hat
• Danielle Holzmann, Director, Learning Solutions, Top Hat

4 – 4:30 p.m.: Penn State Resources for Teaching and Learning with Top Hat

Penn State Teaching and Learning with Technology (TLT) and Penn State IT Learning and Development will provide an overview of Penn State-specific resources to support faculty who want to incorporate Top Hat into courses.

Speakers:

• Hannah Wang, Instructional Designer, ITLD, Penn State University
• Catherine Esposito, Lead Instructional Designer, ITLD, Penn State University
• Sherry Rice, Faculty Engagement Specialist, TLT, Penn State University

Register now