Top Hat is the Echo360 PointSolutions alternative that sees learning from a student’s perspective.

Top Hat’s dynamic courseware helps students keep pace with learning. Our interactive tools and engaging content let students show educators what they know, in class and out. Readings, assignments, and assessments are more immersive for students—plus they create insights educators can use to make the most of their course.

Let’s get to the point: Top Hat is
better for educators and students.

PointSolutions powered by Echo360 (formerly Turning)
Top Hat
Seamless Experience
Offers products for student response, content creation, and assessment, but they are separate solutions.
With Top Hat, tools for student response, content creation and assessment are on a single, unified platform—instructors and students use one set of intuitive tools for a consistent experience for classroom participation, studying, and homework.
Content & Insights
Echo360 is primarily a video management platform that offers integrated tools like PointSolutions. PointSolutions does not offer interactive content, but allows educators to supplement with video, quizzes and live polls.
Instructors can easily assign questions from class as review or homework, but that’s just the beginning. Create interactive, media-rich content as big as a textbook or as small as an assignment, so students stay engaged wherever learning happens. Even better, insights generated in class can be easily leveraged to inform assignments, and vice versa.
User-Friendly
Some PointSolutions users require specific hardware or software versions, requiring campus IT and students to manage installation and updates.
Top Hat is cloud-based with no local installations to manage. The web app automatically updates, so you always have the latest software to use our interactive classroom technology tools. All students need is a computer, tablet, or phone for classroom participation or to use at home.
Pricing
Students who use PointSolutions’ hardware clicker devices must pay a license fee on top of buying the device. This can create complexities for students and educators as they wonder whether they have everything they need for class.
Top Hat offers straightforward student pricing and there is no device to buy. When students and educators can easily access what they need, they can focus their energy on the learning experience and not technology.

Seamless Experience

With Top Hat, tools for student response, content creation and assessment are on a single, unified platform—instructors and students use one set of intuitive tools for a consistent experience for classroom participation, studying, and homework.

Offers products for student response, content creation, and assessment, but they are separate solutions.

Content & Insights

Instructors can easily assign questions from class as review or homework, but that’s just the beginning. Create interactive, media-rich content as big as a textbook or as small as an assignment, so students stay engaged wherever learning happens. Even better, insights generated in class can be easily leveraged to inform assignments, and vice versa.

Echo360 is primarily a video management platform that offers integrated tools like PointSolutions. PointSolutions does not offer interactive content, but allows educators to supplement with video, quizzes and live polls.

User-Friendly

Top Hat is cloud-based with no local installations to manage. The web app automatically updates, so you always have the latest software to use our interactive classroom technology tools. All students need is a computer, tablet, or phone for classroom participation or to use at home.

Some PointSolutions users require specific hardware or software versions, requiring campus IT and students to manage installation and updates.

Pricing

Top Hat offers straightforward student pricing and there is no device to buy. When students and educators can easily access what they need, they can focus their energy on the learning experience and not technology.

Students who use PointSolutions’ hardware clicker devices must pay a license fee on top of buying the device. This can create complexities for students and educators as they wonder whether they have everything they need for class.

Top Hat is your solution
to better learning.

Top Hat is your solution
to better learning.

95%

of students say Top Hat is easy to use.

*Top Hat Spring 2024 Student Survey. n=21,033 students

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student raising their hand

Intuitive Testing Tools

Easily create and deliver assessments. With Top Hat, educators can choose from questions they've created for in-class assignments or question sets available in our catalog. During assessments, there are also tools to protect the academic integrity of online exams.

Students rate our mobile app 4.5 out of 5 stars

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"Top Hat is a great way to get class participation without the judgment of others."

-Student from Virginia Commonwealth University

Unmatched support.

Top Hat provides unparalleled support to professors. We offer market-leading concierge service to convert your existing content into Top Hat platform, while a dedicated instructional designer can help ensure you meet your course goals and ease your class prep.

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Accessible learning for all.

Top Hat can be used on a variety of devices to make learning equitable and available for everyone. Plus, we designed our platform with accessibility top of mind, making it compatible with screen readers and offering keyboard navigation.

Why educators and students love Top Hat

“The whole way you can make a story come to life, it adds to their learning. Top Hat has been a way that I have been able to help make class worth coming to.”

Sarah Sletten
Associate Professor, Biomedical Sciences, University of North Dakota
(Watch the video)

"Between quizzes, textbook readings and homework, Top Hat has given students lots of different ways to assess their own learning. They walk out of our course feeling like they know this stuff, because they’ve had so much practice."

Andrew Duffy
Master Lecturer, Department of Physics, Boston University
(Read the educator story)

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