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Reflect on the connection between an intended learning objective and a Top Hat activity, such as quiz, poll, discussion or interactive text.
- What skills and/or knowledge does a Top Hat activity help your students to demonstrate and/or you, the instructor, to gauge?
- What is the purpose of a Top Hat activity: to structure class time, invite participation, discuss a concept, evaluate knowledge and skills, offer feedback, etc.?
- What kind of support and feedback does a Top Hat activity provide to ensure intentional, meaningful and useful learning?
Top Hat activities are learning opportunities if they:
- Are used for engagement, participation, structuring class time, etc., rather than evaluation and assessment.
- Are low-stakes, low-pressure and formative rather than high-stakes, high-pressure and summative assessment events.
- Promote constructive, concrete and specific feedback for better learning.
- Allow multiple attempts for quizzes.
- Use the think-pair-share approach, in which learners are allowed to discuss responses in pairs before responding.
- Avoid imposing a limitation for time on task.
- Are supported by a team-based learning (TBL) teaching approach. To learn more about TBL, view CELT’s Team-Based Learning webpage.
