Transparent Design Approaches to Enable Equitable Student Gains and Success in Higher Education: A Scoping Review

As student populations in higher education become increasingly diverse, the need for equitable and inclusive teaching approaches has never been more urgent. Transparent design, which involves clearly articulating learning objectives, tasks, and evaluation criteria, has gained recognition for its potential to support student engagement, achievement, and confidence. Framed within the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, this scoping review examines how transparent design is implemented in higher education and how it influences student outcomes across a variety of institutional and national contexts. A systematic search of peer-reviewed literature published between 2014 and 2024 yielded 2,377 articles, 22 of which met the inclusion criteria through the PRISMA process. Thematic analysis of the selected studies highlights how transparent practices improve self-directed learning, improve the experiences of historically underserved students, and contribute to inclusive digital and in-person learning environments. Although the evidence underscores the value of transparency in promoting equitable access and strengthening student-staff collaboration, it also identifies challenges such as inconsistent implementation, insufficient faculty training, and ethical concerns regarding digital engagement. This review contributes to the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning by mapping current evidence on transparent design, identifying implementation challenges, and offering actionable insights into how such approaches can transform teaching practices to support broader and more inclusive student success in higher education. Although not the central focus of the review, the Transparency in Learning and Teaching (TILT) framework is suggested as a practical and context-sensitive methodology for embedding transparency into teaching and learning designs, thereby enhancing institutional relevance and pedagogical impact. Keywords: Transparent Design; Equitable Student Success; Higher education; Student Engagement, and Inclusion Pedagogy.