Learn from a National Expert: Improving Student Success Through Transparent Assignment Design

Join the Institute for Learning and Teaching (TILT) for a highly interactive Zoom workshop led by Mary-Ann Winkelmes, founder of TILT Higher Ed and a national leader in transparent teaching and learning.

Designed for CSU instructors and instructional staff, this session explores how transparent assignment design can significantly improve student learning, confidence, persistence, and sense of belonging—especially for historically underserved students. Decades of research show that even small changes to how assignments are framed can have a powerful impact.

This workshop builds on the momentum of TILT’s recent Course Design Institute and offers a practical next step for translating course design principles into clear, equitable, and effective assignments. No prior participation is required.

Participants will engage directly with the Transparency in Learning and Teaching (TILT) Framework, examine examples from national research studies, and explore concrete strategies for clarifying assignment purpose, tasks, and evaluation criteria. The session emphasizes hands-on application: attendees will have dedicated time to revise one of their own assignment prompts and leave with an updated version ready to use in their courses.

A brief, anonymous pre-workshop survey will be shared with registrants to help shape discussion and ensure the session is responsive to participants’ interests and needs.

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