Case Study: University of Toronto Scarborough achieves higher engagement and grades with Top Hat

University of Toronto Scarborough boosts grades and reaches 97% chapter completion with Top Hat

The University of Toronto Scarborough faced significant challenges in a large-enrollment introductory linguistics course taught by Dr. Safieh Moghaddam. Students were not consistently completing readings from a costly physical textbook, which created a disconnect with lecture material and led to low in-class participation. The initial use of clickers failed to adequately engage students or justify the additional expense. To address these issues of preparedness and engagement, the university turned to Top Hat for a solution.

Using Top Hat's interactive textbook platform and custom publishing services, Dr. Moghaddam created a tailored learning experience with embedded questions and a predictable weekly structure. This solution fostered an inclusive environment where all students could participate. The results were dramatic: 97% of students consistently completed their weekly Top Hat chapters, and participation scores soared from an average of 2/10 to 8/10. This sustained engagement led to a tangible increase in final grades for the course.

University of Toronto Scarborough