Designed for Learning

“Incredibly rich and textured and nuanced.” “Re-energized me to continue working on my teaching.” “Really wonderful and empowering.”

These are some of the phrases past attendees have used to describe the Notre Dame Inclusive Teaching Academy (NDITA). To learn more about what makes it so special, Designed for Learning host Jim Lang talks with Horane Diatta-Holgate, one of its organizers, and 2024 participant Dana Lashley, who is an associate teaching professor of chemistry at Notre Dame.

NDITA combines keynotes, interactive sessions, and structured work time to allow participants to reflect on their teaching practices and learn practical strategies for promoting inclusivity in their courses to the benefit of all students.

Hosted in Chicago by Notre Dame Learning’s Kaneb Center for Teaching Excellence, NDITA is open to educators from both Notre Dame and other institutions, with the Kaneb Center covering much of the cost of attendance. Applications for the 2025 NDITA are due by March 10.

Key Topics Discussed:

• The history and structure of NDITA, including the financial support available for participants to attend
• The 2025 NDITA theme of making learning more accessible
• Dana’s takeaways as a past NDITA participant who came to the academy already possessing a considerable amount of teaching experience 
• The distinctions between various terminologies in the inclusive teaching space
• The open nature of NDITA, where everyone is welcome, regardless of their particular pedagogical mindsets and what inclusive teaching means to them
• Why when he works with instructors on inclusive teaching, Horane starts with what they’re already doing (and doing well)
• The experiences as students that led to Dana’s and Horane’s interests in inclusive teaching

Guest Bios: Horane Diatta-Holgate is an assistant teaching professor in Notre Dame Learning’s Kaneb Center for Teaching Excellence, where he develops and coordinates programs to support instructors with designing courses and classroom environments that foster critical thinking, meaningful engagement, and effective interpersonal communication.  He earned his MSEd and Ph.D. in educational psychology and research methodology from Purdue University.

Dana Lashley joined Notre Dame’s Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry as an associate teaching professor in 2024 after 10 years on the faculty at William & Mary. She holds a Ph.D. in synthetic organic chemistry and medicinal chemistry from Auburn University and teaches both semesters of the organic chemistry sequence at Notre Dame, among other courses.

Resources Mentioned:

• Webpage and Application: 2025 Notre Dame Inclusive Teaching Academy
• Episode Transcript

Designed for Learning is hosted by Jim Lang, a professor of the practice in Notre Dame Learning’s Kaneb Center for Teaching Excellence and the author of several influential books on teaching. The podcast is produced by Notre Dame Learning’s Office of Digital Learning. For more, visit learning.nd.edu/podcast. You can also follow Notre Dame Learning on LinkedIn and subscribe to our newsletter.

In this inaugural episode of Designed for Learning, host Jim Lang sits down with cognitive psychologist and author Michelle D. Miller to explore the challenges and rewards of something that sounds so basic it’s easy to overlook how daunting it can be:

Learning and remembering student names.

As you prepare to meet students when they return to campus for the new semester, mastering their names isn't just a memory exercise—it’s a step toward creating a welcoming, inclusive classroom environment.

Key Topics Discussed:

• The science behind why names are uniquely difficult to remember
• The importance of knowing students’ names for fostering connection and inclusivity
• Michelle’s four-step strategy to improve name recall: Attend, Say, Associate, Retrieve
• The role of attention and retrieval in reinforcing memory
• Practical tips for large and small classes, including the use of name tents and group activities
• How learning names enhances engagement and classroom participation

Guest Bio: Michelle D. Miller is a professor of psychological sciences and President’s Distinguished Teaching Fellow at Northern Arizona University. Originally trained in cognitive psychology, psycholinguistics, and neuroscience, she now focuses mainly on using the findings of these fields to help faculty choose and use educational technology and design engaging, effective college courses. Her latest book, A Teacher’s Guide to Learning Student Names: Why You Should, Why It’s Hard, How You Can, offers practical, research-backed strategies for educators looking to build a sense of connection with their students.

Resources Mentioned

• Book: A Teacher’s Guide to Learning Student Names: Why You Should, Why It’s Hard, How You Can (University of Oklahoma Press)
• Michelle’s R3 Substack Newsletter
• Michelle’s LinkedIn
• Episode Transcript

Designed for Learning is hosted by Jim Lang, a professor of the practice in Notre Dame Learning’s Kaneb Center for Teaching Excellence and the author of several influential books on teaching. The podcast is produced by Notre Dame Learning’s Office of Digital Learning. For more, visit learning.nd.edu/podcast. You can also follow Notre Dame Learning on LinkedIn and subscribe to our newsletter.

Designed for Learning is a podcast from Notre Dame Learning, a collaborative unit at the University of Notre Dame that works with faculty and other instructors as they seek to enhance learning for their students. In that spirit, the show features interviews with teachers, experts in teaching and learning in higher education, authors of new books and resources, and anyone else we can learn from. New episodes are released monthly.

Designed for Learning is hosted by Jim Lang, a professor of the practice in Notre Dame Learning’s Kaneb Center for Teaching Excellence and the author of several influential books on teaching. The podcast is produced by Notre Dame Learning’s Office of Digital Learning. For more, visit learning.nd.edu/podcast. You can also follow Notre Dame Learning on LinkedIn and subscribe to our newsletter.