The Transparency Framework addresses the question: How might assessment of student learning efforts be made more visible? One avenue adopted by many campuses is to share relevant information about student learning on the institutional website. Just as making student learning outcomes more transparent is a work in progress, so is this Framework. The Framework is not a checklist to be followed but rather a guide to suggest priorities and possibilities with an eye toward communicating meaningful information about student learning that will be useful to various audiences in an online format. An institutional website that is transparent conveys information of student learning in a clear and coherent manner to a target audience. The Transparency Framework provides guideposts to consider in online communication.

Examples are provided of institutions using the Framework in the Field, and the NILOA Featured Websites provide examples of elements of the framework in action.

Download the entire Transparency Framework here. Information on the background and development of the Transparency Framework can be found here.

Organizations that recommend utilization of the Transparency Framework:

To learn how institutions have applied the Transparency Framework for campus initiatives, listen to the Assessment Perspectives Podcast Episode 1: Bridgewater State University’s Transparency Project.

Please cite as: National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment. (2011). Transparency Framework. Urbana, IL: University of Illinois and Indiana University, National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment (NILOA). 

Should you like to use the Transparency Framework on your website, please feel free to download the images and cite accordingly.