Enhancing Inclusive Sustainability-Oriented Learning in Higher Education Using Adaptive Learning Platforms and Performance-Based Assessment

The rapid digital transformation of higher education institutions (HEIs) has created new opportunities to promote sustainability-focused teaching, learning, and assessment. At the same time, traditional assessment methods often fail to accurately measure complex skills needed for sustainability, such as systems thinking, critical reflection, and real-world problem-solving. This study examines the integration of adaptive learning platforms with performance-based assessment (PBA) as an innovative way to support inclusive, sustainability-oriented learning in higher education. Based on principles of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), Universal Design for Learning (UDL), and constructivist learning theory, the study investigates how adaptive learning technologies tailor instruction for diverse learners while PBAs offer genuine measures of sustainability skills. Using a mixed-methods approach, data were gathered from forty-eight undergraduate students enrolled in an inclusive education course that used an adaptive learning module and PBA tasks. Learning analytics, rubric-based performance scores, and student perception surveys were analyzed to explore effects on engagement, accessibility, and skill development. The results show that this combined method enhances student inclusion, supports differentiated learning pathways, boosts engagement in sustainability tasks, and yields more complete evidence of sustainability competencies than traditional assessments. The study provides a framework for HEIs aiming to align digital transformation initiatives with sustainability objectives. It emphasizes the potential of integrating adaptive learning and PBA to promote innovative, inclusive, and sustainability-focused assessment practices. Implications for policy, curriculum design, and future digital sustainability efforts are also discussed.