Case Study: University of Alberta boosts economics engagement and relevance with Top Hat

University of Alberta saves 22% on textbook fees with Top Hat

The University of Alberta, a leading Canadian research university, faced a challenge with its introductory economics courses. Traditional textbooks were static, often featured outdated American examples, and could not keep pace with rapidly changing economic events. This made the content feel less relevant to students learning within Canada's unique economic landscape. Economics professor Alexander Gainer sought a solution that could provide interactive, Canadian-authored content to deepen student engagement.

The university partnered with Top Hat to implement its interactive textbook platform. Professor Gainer authored custom digital textbooks for microeconomics and macroeconomics that combined clear explanations with embedded practice questions, live Canadian data, and timely local examples. Using Top Hat's tools, he could easily update content in real-time. The solution led to a noticeable increase in student engagement and made course materials more affordable, saving students 22% on textbook fees per term, which equates to $66,000 in annual savings.

University of Alberta