Please let us help you have a successful experience using Top Hat! 

Contact the Learning Platform Services Team, if this is your first time using Top Hat for any of the following or if you have questions:

  • Use the Top Hat Presentation Tool to toggle between your lecture content in PowerPoint and your polling questions in Top Hat

  • Teach a course that has multiple sections
  • Use the Attendance functionality of Top Hat, and include it in your grading scheme
  • Utilize a tablet while teaching
  • Include high-resolution images in your polling slides
Top Hat Preterm Checklist
To Do How To
Submit your requisition to the Beaver Store

Enter a requisition with the Beaver Store and include the following information:
SKU = 20036737, Author = TOP HAT, Title = Classroom.
Make sure Top Hat is listed in your syllabus We have created a syllabus statement about Top Hat that you are invited to use or adapt
Enable the Top Hat tool menu link in Canvas

This is the best way for students to connect directly to the corresponding Top Hat course. To enable the Top Hat link in your Canvas course menu, follow these steps:

  1. Click Settings at the bottom of your Canvas course menu
  2. Click the Navigation tab near the top of the Settings page
  3. Enable the Top Hat menu (near the bottom of the list)
  4. Click Save at the bottom of the page

Make previous term's Top Hat course unavailable

To ensure students will not mistakenly add an older course when searching for your current course, make your previous term's Top Hat course unavailable.

To edit the course settings, enter the previous course, click on your name in the upper right header, and select Course Settings. Under General Settings scroll to the bottom and, under Course Availability, select Unavailable (students cannot join), and Save Changes.

Pair Top Hat with your Canvas gradebook

Enter the Top Hat course you would like to sync to your Canvas gradebook. From your Top Hat course page, click your name in the upper right-hand corner and select Course Settings. Select the LMS SET UP & SYNC tab from the top menu and click on the blue Enable LMS sync button.

We strongly recommend creating a separate Top Hat course for each section of a course. The section functionality of Canvas and Top Hat will allow you to connect a Top Hat course to the appropriate section within a combined or cross-listed Canvas course.

See the Top Hat guide on pairing courses for more information.

Add your TA

You can add a current Top Hat user, or invite a new user, to join your Top Hat course in the TA or Professor role. 

See the Top Hat guide on adding professors or teaching assistants for more information.
Enable settings to track hybrid attendance

Go to your Top Hat Course Settings and select Advanced Options. Check the option:
"Configure attendance for hybrid classes". See Configuring attendance for hybrid classes article for more information. 

Related article on preventing students from responding outside the classroom .
Share instructions with your students on how they should register their Top Hat account

We highly recommend sending your students an invitation from the Top Hat course (you should have this option for students who don't already have a TH account). This generates a customized email that simplifies the registration process for students.  In addition, you may wish to present these slides with registration instructions in class on the first day.
Share the support options with your students

Top Hat provides support for students from 6:00 AM - 6:00 PM (PT)