This study reports on an effort to illustrate the coupling of educational research with ongoing curriculum development to promote effective and evidence-based online learning. The research findings have been used to inform the EarthLabs curriculum development team as they revise existing modules and create new modules, in order to represent the ways in which such research findings can be used to improve similar online curriculum materials and enhance student learning
outcomes. EarthLabs curriculum is a suite of online inquiry-based activities that promote understanding of Earth system science.