Case Study: Slippery Rock University achieves a 71% DFW reduction with Top Hat

Slippery Rock University cuts DFW rates by 71% with Top Hat

Slippery Rock University professor David Frohnapfel faced the challenge of engaging non-major students in his Introductory Chemistry course, where many had science anxiety. A secondary issue was the reliance on static, print textbooks that contained extraneous information and were purchased by less than half of his students. He sought a customizable, interactive solution from vendor Top Hat to better tailor the material.

The solution involved partnering with Top Hat's Custom Solutions team to author a media-rich, interactive textbook, which became the foundation for a flipped classroom model. Using Top Hat's in-class engagement features for live polling, he created an interactive learning environment. The results were a measurable 71% reduction in DFW rates and a 43% increase in A and B grades over a six-year period following the implementation of the Top Hat text and platform.

Slippery Rock University