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Top Hat Summer Camp is over for another year.
Watch the 2024 edition recordings using the button below.

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Featured Speakers

Dr. James Lang

Dr. James Lang

Professor of Practice at the University of Notre Dame and author of Distracted and Small Teaching.

Dr. Linda Nilson

Dr. Linda Nilson

Director Emeritus of Teaching Effectiveness and Innovation at Clemson University and author of Creating Self-Regulated Learners.

The First Day of Class is a Big Deal

Learn best practices for sparking curiosity and engaging students in your course—from the first day of class and beyond!

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Professional Development

Earn a certificate to put towards your faculty development hours.

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Innovative Keynotes

Hear from acclaimed experts leading the charge on student success.

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Faculty Insights

See how fellow instructors are creating community and engaging students.

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Teaching Best Practices

Get hands-on guidance on putting the power of Top Hat to work in your course.

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What's New with Top Hat

Learn how we’re improving math readiness across disciplines and enabling AI-powered teaching and learning.

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Starting the Term

Starting the Term

What’s New with Top Hat

Clare Castro, Top Hat

Heather Taylor, Top Hat

Teaching a Great First Day of Class

Host:

Dr. Bradley Cohen, Top Hat

Presenter:

Dr. James Lang,
Educator and Author

Faculty Insights: Launching the Learning Journey

Host:

Michael Di Gregorio, Top Hat

Presenters:

Donna Smith,
Sierra College

Samantha Bickert,
University of Nevada

What’s New with Top Hat

Clare Castro, Top Hat

Heather Taylor, Top Hat

Teaching a Great First Day of Class

Host:

Dr. Bradley Cohen, Top Hat

Presenter:

Dr. James Lang,
Educator and Author

Faculty Insights: Launching the Learning Journey

Host:

Michael Di Gregorio, Top Hat

Presenters:

Donna Smith,
Sierra College

Samantha Bickert,
University of Nevada

Engaging Students In and Out of Class

Engaging Students In and Out of Class

Faculty Insights: Creating a Dynamic Lecture Experience

Host:

Sumi Voora, Top Hat

Presenters:

Dr. Joel Stake,
Louisiana Tech University

Dr. Allison M. Wiedemeier,
University of Louisiana

Crafting and Customizing Content with Top Hat

Host:

Karen Csaba, Top Hat

Presenter:

Dr. Linda M. Rodríguez,
University of Puerto Rico

Faculty Insights: Creating a Dynamic Lecture Experience

Host:

Sumi Voora, Top Hat

Presenters:

Dr. Joel Stake,
Louisiana Tech University

Dr. Allison M. Wiedemeier,
University of Louisiana

Crafting and Customizing Content with Top Hat

Host:

Karen Csaba, Top Hat

Presenter:

Dr. Linda M. Rodríguez,
University of Puerto Rico

Setting the Stage for Student Success

Setting the Stage for Student Success

Strengthening Student Learning Skills in the Age of AI

Host:

Dr. Bradley Cohen, Top Hat

Presenter:

Dr. Linda Nilson,
Educator and Author

Faculty Insights: Assignments and Assessments that Motivate and Engage

Host:

Hayley Ryan, Top Hat

Presenters:

Dr. Whitney Sivils-Sawyer,
Louisiana Tech University

Dr. Elizabeth Sargent,
University of Delaware

Strengthening Student Learning Skills in the Age of AI

Host:

Dr. Bradley Cohen, Top Hat

Presenter:

Dr. Linda Nilson,
Educator and Author

Faculty Insights: Assignments and Assessments that Motivate and Engage

Host:

Hayley Ryan, Top Hat

Presenters:

Dr. Whitney Sivils-Sawyer,
Louisiana Tech University

Dr. Elizabeth Sargent,
University of Delaware

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Keynote Speakers

James Lang

Dr. James Lang

Educator and
Author of Distracted
 

James M. Lang, PhD, is the author of six books, including Distracted: Why Students Can’t Focus and What You Can Do About It and Small Teaching: Everyday Lessons from the Science of Learning. He also writes a monthly column on teaching and learning for The Chronicle of Higher Education. A dynamic and highly sought-after public speaker, Lang has delivered conference keynotes and workshops on teaching at more than a hundred colleges, universities, and high schools in the United States and abroad.

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Linda Nilson

Dr. Linda Nilson

Educator and Author of
Creating Self-Regulated
Learners

Linda B. Nilson is Director Emeritus of the Office of Teaching Effectiveness and Innovation at Clemson University and author of a number of influential books, including Specifications Grading: Restoring Rigor, Motivating Students, and Saving Faculty Time and Creating Self-Regulated Learners: Strategies to Strengthen Students’ Self-Awareness and Learning Skills. Passionate about sharing her insights, Nilson has delivered over 500 keynotes, webinars, and live workshops at conferences, colleges, and universities both nationally and internationally.

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Bradley Cohen

Bradley Cohen

Chief Academic Officer,
Top Hat
 

As Top Hat’s Chief Academic Officer, Dr. Bradley Cohen provides advocacy and guidance to support Top Hat’s product innovation, publishing, and institutional engagement strategy. Prior to Top Hat, Cohen served as the Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer at Ohio University. Before that, he advanced instructional innovation and technology for 15 years at the University of Minnesota as the head of the Center for Educational Innovation and Associate CIO for Academic Technology.

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Clare Castro

Clare Castro

Sr. Product
Marketing Manager,
Top Hat

With nearly two decades in higher education publishing and educational technology, Clare Castro has a wealth of experience bringing innovative educational solutions to market. As a Senior Product Marketing Manager, she works closely with Top Hat’s Product, Sales, and Customer Success teams on the launch of new features for students and educators. Prior to joining Top Hat, she held a variety of marketing, customer success, and market development roles with Oxford University Press and McGraw-Hill.

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Heather Taylor

Heather Taylor

Sr. Director of
Product Marketing,
Top Hat

As the Senior Director of Product Marketing, Heather Taylor is responsible for leading programs, research and go-to-market strategies to increase the impact of Top Hat across institutions, and with faculty, and students. Prior to Top Hat, Taylor was the Manager, Global Product Marketing at Pearson where she was responsible for global strategic planning and end-to-end product marketing for the company’s digital solutions.

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Faculty Presenters

Allison M. Wiedemeier

Dr. Allison M. Wiedemeier

Biology Program
Coordinator,
University of Louisiana

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Donna Smith

Donna Smith

Department of Mathematics,
Sierra College

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Elizabeth Sargent

Dr. Elizabeth Sargent

School of Marine Science
& Policy,
University of Delaware

Joel Stake

Dr. Joel Stake

Director of Honors &
Senior Lecturer,
Louisiana Tech University

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Linda M. Rodríguez

Dr. Linda M. Rodríguez

Department of English,
University of Puerto Rico

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Samantha Bickert

Samantha Bickert

Lecturer, College of Business,
University of Nevada

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Whitney Sivils-Sawyer

Dr. Whitney Sivils-Sawyer

Director, Center for
Instructional Technology,
Louisiana Tech University

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Top Hat Hosts

Michael Di Gregorio

Michael Di Gregorio

Director of Professional
Services, Top Hat

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Hayley Ryan

Hayley Ryan

Manager of Customer
Onboarding, Top Hat

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Sumi Voora

Sumi Voora

Professional Services
Manager, Top Hat

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Karen Csaba

Karen Csaba

Project Manager, Custom
Publishing, Top Hat

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Watch On Demand
Watch On Demand

What’s New with Top Hat

Greater interactivity, peer-to-peer collaboration, and tools that turn content into a conversation. We've got plenty of updates to share, including how our new AI-powered features are making it easier to engage students and make learning active, in and out of the classroom.

Speakers:

  • Clare Castro, Sr. Manager of Product Marketing, Top Hat
  • Heather Taylor, Sr. Director of Product Marketing, Top Hat

Teaching a Great First Day of Class

What happens on the first day of class may be even more important than what you do in the weeks that follow. In this presentation, Dr. James Lang shares strategies for piquing curiosity, building community, and setting the right expectations. You’ll also learn why immersing students in learning on day one is a great way to prime them for what’s to come.

Host:

  • Dr. Bradley Cohen, Chief Academic Officer, Top Hat

Presenter:

  • Dr. James Lang, Educator and Author of Distracted

Faculty Insights: Launching the Learning Journey

They make it look easy, but as our faculty presenters will share, delivering a great course involves plenty of trial and error. In this session, we’ll explore their lessons learned and go-to practices for launching a high-impact course in Top Hat. Then, shift gears as we guide you through using Top Hat to welcome students, create connections, and drive engagement from day one!

Host:

  • Michael Di Gregorio, Director of Professional Services, Top Hat

Presenters:

  • Donna Smith, Sierra College
  • Samantha Bickert, University of Nevada

Faculty Insights: Creating a Dynamic Lecture Experience

Getting students to show up and engage may be easier than you think. In this session, our faculty guests will discuss their formula for creating dynamic in-class experiences their students don’t want to miss. You’ll also learn how to use Top Hat to create interactive lectures that deepen learning and make class time more engaging.

Host:

  • Sumi Voora, Professional Services Manager, Top Hat

Presenters:

  • Dr. Joel Stake, Louisiana Tech University
  • Dr. Allison M. Wiedemeier, University of Louisiana

Crafting and Customizing Content with Top Hat

Customizing course content solves a number of challenges—from keeping material current, to engaging students, and ensuring alignment with how you like to teach your course. In this session, you'll explore Top Hat’s authoring toolkit and craft dynamic content that serves your unique teaching vision.

Host:

  • Karen Csaba, Project Manager, Custom Publishing, Top Hat

Presenter:

  • Dr. Linda M. Rodríguez, University of Puerto Rico

Strengthening Student Learning Skills in the Age of AI

Most students are unaware of how learning actually works. They’re even less informed when it comes to developing the self-regulation needed to thrive in the classroom, let alone in the age of AI. In this special presentation, Dr. Linda Nilson shares an array of proven strategies you can use to get students to reflect on, monitor, and improve their learning skills. These low-lift techniques are exactly what’s needed to help students realize their potential, in the classroom and in life.

Host:

  • Dr. Bradley Cohen, Chief Academic Officer, Top Hat

Presenter:

  • Dr. Linda Nilson, Educator and Author of Creating Self-Regulated Learners

Faculty Insights: Assignments and Assessments that Motivate and Engage

As technology transforms how we work and live, emphasizing the process and experience of learning is more important than ever. In our final Summer Camp presentation, you’ll learn how forward-looking educators are transforming assignments to motivate and engage—and create more opportunities to provide the feedback students crave. Then, see how to put these practices into action by using Top Hat to reimagine assessments and assignments in your course.

Host:

  • Hayley Ryan, Manager, Onboarding, Top Hat

Presenter:

  • Dr. Elizabeth Sargent, University of Delaware
  • Dr. Whitney Sivils-Sawyer, Louisiana Tech University