Designing impactful education for a diverse and changing world
Welcome to the Office of Digital Teaching & Learning! We partner with faculty to help them develop their courses and learn how to best use the tools provided by Loyola. Explore our resources and discover how ODTL can help you continue to deliver first-rate course instruction in an ever-changing learning environment.
Our Mission: To create convincing learning experiences, to enable success for all Loyola learners.
Our Vision: Elevating Experiences.
About the Team
Learn more about the team members in the ODTL who are dedicated to helping you develop the best possible learning experiences for you and your students.
Assistant Director Sarah Martin, Ph.D.
Sarah Martin, Assistant Director of Digital Teaching and Learning at Loyola University Maryland, brings nearly two decades of experience in teaching, instructional design, faculty development, and educational leadership. She collaborates closely with faculty, program directors, and senior leadership to align academic strategy with institutional goals—bridging day-to-day operations with long-term academic excellence and relevance.
Her commitment to student success is evident in how she approaches this work: through clear processes, strong partnerships, and data-informed decision-making that continuously improves outcomes. She supports the creation of equitable, engaging educational experiences that strengthen academic program quality and sustainability, advancing accessibility and inclusive learning through best practices in learner-centered design. Working with academic programs, directors, and department chairs, she applies comprehensive curricular strategies that align learning outcomes and program objectives across the full learning pathway. Through a lens of coherence and intentional, meaningful connections, her work enhances teaching and learning across courses, experiences, and assessments.
Nationally, her research and presentations advance frameworks for digital education resilience, inclusive and accessible learning pathway design, sustainable program development, and program-wide alignment and quality. Through this scholarship and national leadership, she contributes practical strategies that promote long-term excellence, equity, and student success in digital and blended learning environments.
Instructional Design Team Lead Rachael DeLawder
Rachael DeLawder is the Instructional Design Team Lead in the Office of Digital Teaching and Learning at Loyola University Maryland. Her work focuses on supporting the creation of learning experiences that are engaging, accessible, and built to last, balancing hands-on instructional design work with leading team projects that build shared resources to support faculty and student success.
Before transitioning into instructional design, Rachael spent over six years as a classroom teacher, mentor, tutor, and coach. This experience continues to shape her practical, learner-centered approach to design and collaboration. She is especially drawn to work at the intersection of creativity, pedagogy, digital learning environments, and collaboration, and enjoys building thoughtful systems and resources that make teaching and learning clearer, more engaging, and easier to navigate.
Instructional Designer Lydia Tippett
Lydia Tippett is an Instructional Designer in Loyola University Maryland’s Office of Digital Teaching and Learning, where she collaborates with faculty to design engaging, accessible, and meaningful learning experiences. Her work is shaped by her roles as an affiliate instructor and doctoral student in Curriculum and Instruction, along with her prior experience as a K–12 teacher. This perspective grounds her design work in care for the lived experiences of both students and educators.
Lydia engages in scholarly work that extends her instructional design practice. Her interests center on belonging, neurodiversity, and the evolving role of generative AI in education, with a focus on relational design and the creation of more inclusive learning environments in higher education.
Instructional Designer Brett Youngerman
Brett Youngerman is an Instructional Designer in the Office of Digital Teaching and Learning at Loyola University Maryland, where he leads course design initiatives, develops faculty resources, and collaborates on the strategic advancement of teaching and learning across the university. Partnering closely with faculty, Brett supports the development of inclusive and engaging courses grounded in Universal Design for Learning. His work emphasizes accessibility, clarity, and meaningful learning experiences that support diverse and nontraditional learners.
Brett plays a key role in faculty development, including the design and implementation of Moodle Crash Course, an on-demand resource that equips new faculty with practical tools to effectively build and manage their courses. Brett presented on asynchronous faculty training at the 2026 Quality Matters Conference, sharing practical strategies for sustainable, scalable professional learning. Through his design work and scholarship, he advances thoughtful, accessible approaches to teaching and learning that promote student success and instructional excellence.