Likelihood to Recommend Pearson Revel is probably best suited for distance learning of large sections where there is little time for discussion and grading assignments manually is prohibitive. I would prefer not to use it with small classes and traditional classes.
Read full review Top Hat is well suited for courses where students are comfortable with utilizing online learning management system as part of their course contents. It is more appropriate to use Top Hat as a stand-alone learning management system or if the school happens to have it integrated to the system. It is not recommended to use Top Hat and another platform or system for students as this would be too much for students.
Read full review Pros Ease of assigning reading Ease of tracking level of student engagement Ease of use for instructors Read full review I use Top Hat as a discussion tool where the students can write what they have learned or what they haven't. Exams are taken in class and are totally paperless with grades available immediately. Read full review Cons Unfortunately, there are some videos that do not play, or situations where the video does not match the question content. These are bugs that should be attended to by Pearson, but although I have reported them (along with students), they have not been remedied. Instructors who would prefer to use only the digital text do not have the option to purchase the text without the platform. Because the text and software are integrated, there are no "page numbers" as in other digital texts which makes it hard to reference a particular section in a lecture, assignment, or presentation. Read full review If students are paying, it's a confusing onboarding process for students and instructors and could be better streamlined. The Android app not as well polished as iOS. A better, free, or ad-supported model might be more palpable to students. Integration directly with PowerPoint -- not requiring instructors to upload their slides to Top Hat. Read full review Support Rating They are very helpful and fast to resolve any issues
Read full review Alternatives Considered In my opinion,
McGraw-Hill Connect is by far much better than Pearson Revel. It has more functionality. I think the McGraw-Hill SmartBook is better than the Pearson Revel (which is merely a reading app). The SmartBook allows instructors customization and it helps students to master the materials better than just a reading app. In my experience, McGraw-Hill provides exception customer support. They always reply to my questions in a timely manner. I have used both Pearson Revel and
McGraw-Hill Connect and I will have to say that I will not be going back to use Pearson Revel.
Read full review Top Hat generally stacks up pretty well against other industry leading or popular learning management systems. Top Hat is comparable to learning management systems used in most educational institutions. The features such as allowing the educator to create an interactive experience by leveraging tools such as quizzes and polls is comparable. Data on student performance is also a helpful feature that is comparable to that of other similar learning management systems.
Read full review Return on Investment NEGATIVE: The platform is less expensive than a printed text, but students can use OER's for free. This is especially important at the community college level where students tend to have less financial resources for education. NEGATIVE: After the course completes, the student has nothing to use as a reference. They cannot go back and view the content, nor can they print any of the content. NEGATIVE: The student pays for the learning platform and content which includes a large number of activities and resources. While this seems to be a positive thing, students (and instructors) can get overwhelmed with the number of activities and resources available. Some students won't use any of the resources at all. Read full review One of the better ways to track attendance in a mostly secure and automated way. Promotes more active learning, especially in large classrooms. Unpopular if students have to pay. Read full review ScreenShots