Sophie
Giddings

Sophie Giddings is a senior student at East Carolina University in the Nursing program. After getting her Certified Nurse Assistant credential in high school and working in a nursing home, Giddings knew she wanted to pursue it full-time. She explains, “I’ve always wanted to go into healthcare. I’m a positive person and I just want to do something that has an impact and helps people in need.”

After she graduates, Giddings is considering working in geriatrics or as a nurse in a correctional facility. Even with these longer term goals, she’ll be the first to admit that staying motivated and engaged in some of her courses has been hard.

One particular Chemistry class held at 8 AM has been especially challenging for her. Learning from a professor who teaches without visual aids and doesn’t include activities, discussions, or peer interaction has made for a far-from-ideal course experience. “Just sitting and listening for the entire time is really hard,” Giddings says. It’s made it difficult to stay focused, even though the course is a requirement for her major and a step towards her future.

Her experience has been drastically different in her third-year Social Psychology course where her professor makes extensive use of Top Hat. Unlike some other faculty, her professor runs polls and quizzes to engage students and spur discussions. “The questions during lecture really motivate me to attend, and it’s also fun being able to assess what we’ve learned,” Giddings says. Given the demands of her schedule, it has also been helpful to have all assignments and quizzes hosted on Top Hat—now she never misses a due date. For Giddings, Top Hat has been a fun and effective way to study, measure her own progress, and stay accountable for her learning as she works towards her dream career.