NETLAB+ vs. Top Hat

For the classes throughout my degree program, this has been one of the most helpful tools that are available to us. The detailed explanations along with the screenshots of the tasks I am working on, have given me a comfortable learning environment where I am confident in a "real" network setting, the processes will come at ease

Incentivized

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.

Incentivized

• Shared resources
• Only requires a browser and Internet for access
• Scheduling

Incentivized

• 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.

Incentivized

• The inability to save progress! :-) As we go through the labs, time can be a very stressful aspect if I don't allow for enough in the beginning or underestimated the time it would take to complete.

Incentivized

• 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.

Incentivized

They are very helpful and fast to resolve any issues

Incentivized

I was not part of the decision & implementation process. But NETLAB as far as our other programs is at the top, because it is very easy to use, and I have very few reliability issues. I don't have crashing machines, and the detailed labs make it easy to follow.

Incentivized

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.

Incentivized

• The shared datacenter has saved hundreds of thousands of dollars that might have been spent by the 28 individual colleges it supports.
• During the past year, and through the pandemic, over 130,000 hours of lab time were accrued.

Incentivized

• 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.

Incentivized