CTLE Faculty Spotlight: Business Department's DARP on Transparent Assignment Design

February 4, 2025

Departmental Action Research Plans (DARPs) are collaborative initiatives designed by faculty within a department to address specific teaching and learning goals. This month's CTLE Faculty Spotlight highlights the Business Department’s DARP, where 17 faculty members worked together to enhance student success by making assignments more transparent using the Transparency in Learning and Teaching (TiLT) framework. The department aimed to improve clarity in assignments, increase student engagement and foster a stronger sense of belonging.

The Business Department’s DARP was carefully structured through planning, leadership and collaboration. In summer and fall 2023, department chairs met to explore how DARPs could close student success gaps, particularly for first-generation college students. Faculty selected TiLT as the primary strategy, focusing on making two assignments in each course more transparent. This decision was made collaboratively through faculty discussions and consensus-building at department meetings.

To ensure success, the department formed a leadership team that included experienced and newer faculty members. Professors Rimjhim Banerjee-Batist and Mark Modas served as professional development co-leads, guiding the initiative alongside a Community of Practice (CoP) team composed of five faculty members. Their goal was to build momentum and faculty engagement through peer discussions and structured training.

The initiative was officially launched in fall 2024, with a departmental goal of 100% participation among full-time faculty. By the end of the first year, 79% of full-time faculty had engaged with the initiative. Faculty training sessions, department meeting discussions and leadership support played a crucial role in sustaining participation and ensuring success in implementation.

The Business Department set clear goals for assessing the impact of the DARP, focusing on four key outcomes:

  1. Improved Assignment Grades: Targeting a 2-3% increase in grades for the transparent assignments.
  2. Higher Course Retention Rates: Comparing retention rates before and after implementing TILT.
  3. Improved Final Exam Performance: Evaluating overall course success metrics.
  4. Enhanced Student Sense of Belonging: Measured through pre- and post-surveys assessing students’ perceptions of faculty support and instructional clarity.

Early results indicate promising outcomes. Preliminary data from Institutional Research show that the department’s overall course success rate increased to 84.5%, a 2.6% improvement over fall 2023 and a 5% increase compared to benchmark years. Student surveys revealed greater clarity in assignments and increased confidence in coursework.

The Business Department plans to build on its early success by refining the initiative based on student and faculty feedback. Future steps include expanding participation, analyzing additional data and exploring how transparency can be integrated into more aspects of teaching and assessment.

For more details about the Business Department’s DARP, visit the CTLE Canvas page.

About CTLE Faculty Spotlights

CTLE Faculty Spotlights highlight Santa Fe College instructors who implement new and innovative strategies in their classrooms. Check out each spotlight to learn more about the instructor, what they are doing in their classrooms and how to apply it to your own courses.

Are you or someone you know using innovative teaching strategies in the classroom? Email leslie.rios@sfcollege.edu.