Why Distance Learning?

In this episode of "Why Distance Learning," we delve into the transformative role of Shared Studios' immersive technology in global education. Our guests, Dr. Brandon Ferderer, Head of Programming at Shared Studios, and Ross Phillips, a dedicated social studies teacher from Winnacanet High School, discuss the impact of full-body virtual interactions that connect students worldwide, fostering genuine human connections and empathy. This technology transcends traditional video conferencing, allowing users to engage deeply with diverse cultures and global issues,  to enhance understanding, and to promote global citizenship.

The discussion highlights real classroom impacts, such as Ross Phillips' integration of these tools into his curriculum, which has significantly enhanced students' understanding of complex issues like immigration and cultural diversity. We also explore the storytelling power of Shared Studios, where participants share their experiences in unique and impactful ways. This episode provides a compelling look at how innovative technologies can transform educational environments into global forums for cultural exchange, preparing students to navigate and influence an interconnected world effectively.

Guest Links:
Shared Studios: https://www.sharedstudios.com/

Host links:
1. Browse amazing virtual learning opportunities at Tami Moehring and Allyson MItchell's CILC.org
2. Seth Fleischauer's  Banyan Global Learning helps schools leverage technology for teacher and student wellness including AI literacy PD for teachers and, for students, live virtual learning experiences in Character Education: banyangloballearning.com

Creators and Guests

Host
Allyson Mitchell
SF
Host
Seth Fleischauer
TM
Host
Tami Moehring

What is Why Distance Learning??

Why Distance Learning? is a podcast about the decisions, design choices, and assumptions that determine whether live virtual learning becomes shallow and transactional—or meaningful, relational, and effective at scale.

The show is designed for education leaders, instructional designers, and system-level practitioners responsible for adopting, scaling, and sustaining virtual, hybrid, and online learning models. Each episode examines the structural conditions under which distance learning actually works—and the predictable reasons it fails when it doesn’t.

Through conversations with researchers, experienced practitioners, and field-shaping leaders, Why Distance Learning? translates research, field evidence, and lived experience into decision-relevant insight. Episodes surface real tradeoffs, near-failures, and hard-won lessons, equipping listeners with clear framing and language they can use to explain, defend, or redesign distance learning models in real organizational contexts.

Hosted by Seth Fleischauer of Banyan Global Learning, and Allyson Mitchell and Tami Moehring of the Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration, the podcast challenges outdated narratives about distance learning and explores what becomes possible when live virtual education is designed intentionally, human-centered, and grounded in evidence.