Hats off to new mobile voting tool
A new institutional mobile voting solution is being implemented at Leeds following an extensive pilot.
A whole host of resources are available for using the new mobile voting tool to deliver in-class quizzing and polling
The tool provides teaching colleagues with a comprehensive, integrated system to deliver in-class quizzing and polling, and is now available to all staff and students.
Following a tender process, Top Hat was selected as the University’s partner as its voting tool:
- has a broad range of functionality
- is integrated with our core systems; and
- the company has a successful culture of supporting educators and universities to enhance learning and teaching.
Staff and students provided feedback on the tool throughout the pilot.
Professor Norma Martin-Clement, Pro-Dean International, Faculty of Social Sciences, said: “My students all knew in advance that they were going to be quizzed during the session. Reading is always required, preparatory work is always set and they are used to me asking questions. Top Hat is different because it allowed the whole class to engage with that process. Rather than an individual student answering a question, I was able to gain an understanding of the responses of the whole class.”
Dr Ian Sapiro, Associate Professor in the School of Music, Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Cultures, added: “I found Top Hat to be a very useful tool for integrating the pre-class reading with the class sessions, and getting students to engage with these tasks in a focused and critical way.”
Students who have used Top Hat say it has made their learning more engaging
Abiha Khan, LUU Education Officer, said: “Students who have engaged with Top Hat reported that answering questions using the tool introduced a change of pace in their lectures, which made their learning more engaging.
“During seminars, students found it especially helpful to be able to submit questions to the tutor using the Top Hat discussion feature, ensuring inclusive access to learning and teaching. I am excited to see how the use of Top Hat will enhance the student experience right across the University.”
While the tool also includes an attendance feature, this will not be used at Leeds for the purposes of monitoring student attendance.
You can view our video introduction to Top Hat or hear colleague testimonials.
A number of other resources are also being made available to support teaching staff to begin using the system. Book your place on a Top Hat mobile voting training course or read the user guidance via the IT website.
Contact your Faculty Learning Technologists Team, Organisational Development and Professional Learning (OD&PL) or Gail Hardwick, Digital Education Systems Project Manager, for further information or support.
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