Top Hat's customizability empowers UB educators

Instructor at podium teaching to students in a large lecture hall.

Published November 21, 2023

Top Hat’s latest update introduces a brand-new assistive AI capability which empowers educators at UB to seamlessly customize their textbooks and their teaching methods to meet students' diverse learning needs effectively. 

Intuitive authoring tools

Print

Author

Canfield photo.

Michael Canfield joined UB in January 2023 as an IT Communications Specialist for UBIT. A former newspaper reporter with a background in higher ed communication, Michael is also a volunteer firefighter. When he’s not writing or learning about all things UBIT, Michael likes to spend time with his wife and two English bulldogs. 

One of the features of Top Hat's update is its authoring tools. Instructors can easily create content, ranging from quizzes and assignments to multimedia presentations. The content made using these tools is immediately available to students, ensuring seamless integration into the learning experience. 

Faculty at UB can leverage Top Hat to publish their own textbooks and materials tailored to their courses. This includes textbooks, lab manuals, study guides, and homework packs. By doing so, faculty members can earn royalties while providing students with course-specific materials. 

The interactive nature of Top Hat ensures a student-centric focus, promoting a positive learning experience. 

Additionally, faculty can contribute original content to the existing catalog, further enhancing their potential for royalties. It's a win-win, putting the focus on quality education and benefiting both educators and students.

Customizable textbooks

Top Hat’s update also offers high-quality interactive textbooks that can be customized to align with specific course objectives. Instructors have the flexibility to adapt and modify the content to suit the pace of their teaching, the preferences of their students, and the evolving needs of their courses. 

Advantages for educators

  • Time efficiency: Educators can save valuable time by utilizing Top Hat's intuitive tools to create content efficiently, allowing them to focus on teaching and interacting with students.
  • Data-driven insights: The platform provides valuable data analytics, allowing faculty to track student progress and identify areas where additional support might be needed, enabling personalized interventions for improved learning outcomes.
  • Customize text: Faculty can make the course content 100% relatable to the course. 
  • Interactive: Faculty can add in questions, videos, third-party websites and more to make the material more interactive for students. 

Need help?

Contact the UBIT Help Center any time you need help with UB technology, online at buffalo.edu/ubit/help or by phone at 716-645-3542.