Assignment instructions that appear straightforward to instructors may be misinterpreted or misunderstood by students, leading them to submit work that does not fully address the assignment requirements. This resource provides a brief overview of the evidence-based Transparency in Learning and Teaching (TILT) framework which promotes clarity and transparency in assignment instructions.
What is TILT?
TILT is an evidence-based learning and teaching practice that promotes transparency by clearly communicating the purpose, instructions, and assessment criteria of a learning activity or assignment. By helping students understand why they are doing the task and how they should do it, TILT can increase student motivation, engagement, and confidence (Winkelmes, 2023).
The Framework
Using the TILT framework, instructors can design instructions that communicate an assignment’s purpose, the required task, and the criteria for success. The transparency of the process is not achieved by simply providing the information document to students. Instead, it is developed through meaningful instructor-student dialogue. These discussions help instructors understand how their students interpret the assignment expectations, allowing the instructors to address misunderstandings and refine the assignment before students begin the work. These clarifications help ensure all students begin from a common starting point (Winkelmes, 2025).
| Purpose | – Why are the students doing the assignment? – What knowledge and skills will they gain by completing the assignment? – How will the knowledge and skills help them in the course/their program/after university/in their career? |
| Task | – What are the students required to do? – What steps should they follow? – Which mistakes should they avoid? |
| Criteria | – How can students assess whether they are meeting the assignment criteria? – Have rubrics or checklists been included? – Have real-world examples, samples of previous students’ work (excellent and mediocre) been included? * * Students cannot be expected to know what a final product should look like or how to create it when they have never completed a similar assignment before (Winkelmes, 2017). |
For a more in-depth look at these components, see the following links:
Checklist for Designing Transparent Assignments: https://bdl2jezatgadvbda.public.blob.vercel-storage.com/pdf/Checklist%20for%20Designing%20Transparent%20Assignments.pdf
Transparent Assignment Design Template for Teachers: https://bdl2jezatgadvbda.public.blob.vercel-storage.com/pdf/TILT%20Framework%20for%20Teachers.pdf
Benefits of TILT
The TILT framework benefits both instructors and students. Research has shown that students benefits greatly even when TILT is implemented to only a small degree (Winkelmes, 2025).
| Instructors | – Fewer clarification emails/questions from students – More consistent submissions – Easier and more reliable grading – Increased completion rates – Increased quality of student work |
| Students | Increased: – confidence – skill development – feelings of belonging – motivation – deeper learning In addition, students better understood expectations, allowing them to focus more on their work and less on interpreting assignment requirements. |
Generative AI and TILT
To address the question of generative AI use in assignments, Friberg-Fort and Giovagnoli (2026) created a “GenAI Usage Expectation Levels” system (Table 1) to be used in conjunction with the TILT framework. Each level clearly articulates the boundaries and underlying rationale for AI use.
Table 1
References
- Friberg-Fort, J. C. & Giovagnoli, D. (2026). Radical transparency as an antidote to unclear expectations for generative AI use. In N. Pritts (Ed.),Empowering educational development and faculty growth with AI(pp. 273-288). IGI Global Scientific Publishing. https://doi.org/10.4018/979-8-3373-4129-3.ch010
- Winkelmes, M-A. (2023). Introduction to transparency in learning and teaching. Perspectives In Learning, 20(1). https://csuepress.columbusstate.edu/pil/vol20/iss1/2
- Winkelmes, M-A. (2017, March 14). Mary Ann Winkelmes Unwritten Rules for College Success [Video]. YouTube. Mary Ann Winkelmes Unwritten Rules for College Success – YouTube
- Winkelmes, M-A. (2025). How Transparency in Learning and Teaching (TILT) Supports Academic Development. TILT Higher Ed: Transparency in Learning and Teaching. https://bdl2jezatgadvbda.public.blob.vercel-storage.com/pdf/How%20TILT%20Supports%20Academic%20Development.pdf
Further Reading
For more information on TILT, please visit https://www.tilthighered.com/resources
Originally Published: September 1, 2026
