TOP HAT LEARNING LAB
Joyful Teaching in Every Class with Flower Darby
Keeping students engaged and motivated can feel increasingly difficult—especially when educators themselves are stretched thin. Through five interactive modules, acclaimed educator Flower Darby shares practical, research-informed strategies for creating learning experiences where students feel connected, supported, and inspired to learn.
Designed to be completed in 90 minutes or less, the course includes a certificate for faculty development credit.
What's in This Course
Grounded in the PERMA framework for human flourishing, this course explores practical strategies for creating learning experiences that help students—and you—feel more connected, engaged, and motivated.
You’ll learn how to:
- Build stronger connection, belonging, and psychological safety
- Spark deeper participation through discussions and active learning techniques
- Make learning feel more meaningful, relevant, and motivating
- Support persistence and student success through clarity, feedback, and reflection
Inspired by the Book
This course is inspired by Flower Darby’s latest book, The Joyful Online Teacher: Finding Our Fizz in Asynchronous Classes. Blending research, practical strategies, and deeply human insights, the book explores how educators can create more engaging, meaningful, and joyful learning experiences—for students and instructors alike.
Meet Your Instructor
In this short introduction, Flower Darby shares the inspiration behind this course, why joyful teaching matters, and how small shifts can create more meaningful learning experiences.