QEP Resources

The following are resources on the effectiveness of  using Transparency in Teaching and Learning (TiLT) in college instruction. If you have any questions about these resources, please contact the Quality Enhancement Plan Librarian, Ramona Miller at ramona.miller@sfcollege.edu, or the director of the Santa Fe College's Quality Enhancement Plan, Bobby Hom at bobby.hom@sfcollege.edu.

Angel, Rebecca, and Stacie Merken. “Assessing TILT in a College Classroom.” National Teaching & Learning Forum, vol. 30, no. 4, May 2021, pp. 1–3. EBSCOhost, https://doi.org/10.1002/ntlf.30283.

This article discusses a survey done to assess how faculty were using Transparency in Learning and Teaching (TiLT). A survey was sent to 411 faculty at a Midwest University. The survey asked how they described the purpose of an exercise to students and to provide relationships between the examples and course objectives. Most instructors indicated they focused on how the assignment allowed students to apply what they learned in class. Some instructors assessed learning through the “real world.” Most of the respondents felt that TiLT had positive outcomes.

Humphrey, Casey E., "TILTING Beyond the Classroom: Utilizing Transparency Components to Develop Student Centered Administrative Processes" Pedagogicon Conference Proceedings. 1. 2020. https://encompass.eku.edu/pedagogicon/2020/learningpartners/1

The author examines using TiLT in academic policies and ways to evaluate the effectiveness. For study a program policy was rewritten using TiLT to be more transparent for students. It was found that utilizing TiLT was beneficial to the students and the administrators of the program.

Jacobs, Anne. “Can TILT Be Used to Teach Study Tactics? A Case Study in a Biology Classroom.” Perspectives in Learning, vol. 20, no. 1 – Special TiLT Issue, Feb 2003. pp. 67-74. https://csuepress.columbusstate.edu/pil/vol20/iss1/7.

This article asks how instructors can use TiLT in a class where most of the grade is from exams. The article gives ways to use TiLT to teach study skills. The article uses the example of concept mapping to introduce students to study tactics.

Milman, Natalie B. “Tips for Success: The Online Instructor’s (Short) Guide to Making Assignment Descriptions More Transparent.” Distance Learning, vol. 18, no. 4, Oct. 2021, pp. 57–58. EBSCOhost, https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=shib&db=eue&AN=156409652&site=ehost-live&scope=site&custid=sfcc.

This article goes over how to add transparency to online assignments using the TiLT method. The author describes what makes an assignment description transparent and gives a checklist to help instructors.

Transparent Design in Higher Education Teaching and Leadership : A Guide to Implementing the Transparency Framework Institution-Wide to Improve Learning and Retention, edited by Mary-Ann Winkelmes, et al., Taylor & Francis Group, 2019. ProQuest Ebook Central, https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/sfcollege-ebooks/detail.action?docID=5752578.

A guide to the Transparency in Learning and Teaching (TILT) framework. The book demonstrates how to use TiLT as well as giving a history and the research behind the framework.

Winkelmes, Mary-Ann. “Introduction to Transparency in Learning and Teaching.” Perspectives in Learning, vol. 20, no. 1, 2022, pp. 4-12, https://csuepress.columbusstate.edu/pil/vol20/iss1/2.

The author describes Transparency in Learning and Teaching (TiLT) as “an educational framework for engaging teachers and students in communicating together about how students are learning, how they can apply their learning in real-world situations in their lives after college, and why instructors manipulate the students’ learning experiences in the specific ways they choose.” The article provides reasons for implementing TiLT, including its impact on equity, and advice for implementation.

Winkelmes, Mary-Ann, et al. “A Teaching Intervention That Increases Underserved College Students’ Success.” Peer Review, vol. 18, no. 1/2, Winter/Spring 2016, pp. 31–36. EBSCOhost, https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=shib&db=eue&AN=116776213&site=ehost-live&scope=site&custid=sfcc.

In this article, the author discusses the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) and its partnership with Transparency in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education (TILT Higher Ed) funded by TG Philanthropy. Seven institutions were asked “what is the effect when teachers provide two transparently designed, problem-based assignments … on spring-term first-year college students. The results show that using the TiLT method can contribute to the success of underserved students. Those students who received transparent assignments, were more successful than their classmates that did not.

Winkelmes, Mary-Ann, et al. Online Learning Consortium (OLC) - Enhancing Remote Learning, Online Learning Consortium, 2016, https://onlinelearningconsortium.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/OLC-Handout-June-10-2016_winkelmes.pdf.

This article presents data from a 2014-2015 AAC&U study of students' learning at seven Minority-Serving Institutions on the effect of transparency in assignments. The study showed that students who were given more transparency in assignments had a greater rate of retention and success than those who did not. The article gives a Transparent Assignment Template to help instructors implement transparency in their classes.

Winkelmes, Mary-Ann. “Transparency in Teaching: Faculty Share Data and Improve Students’ Learning.” Liberal Education, vol. 99, no. 2, Spring 2013, pp. 48–55. EBSCOhost, https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=shib&db=eric&AN=EJ1094742&site=ehost-live&scope=site&custid=sfcc.

The author discusses the value of transparency in effective teaching in higher education in the U.S. In 2009, a cohort of faculty with the University of Chicago developed a questionnaire to gather students experiences. This article discusses the use of this survey. Many aspects of TiLT were found valuable, such as discussing assignments learning goals, debriefing graded tests in class, discussing students’ learning goals, gauging student understanding. Many of the practices tested were seen to benefit underrepresented students.