#26 Ohio's Innovative Language Learning with Michele Carlisle

Show Notes

In this episode, Seth and Allyson interview Michelle Carlisle, an expert, experienced distance learning educator. They discuss Michele's world language program in Ohio, which offers several languages that would not be available were it not for live virtual instruction. Michelle shares the history and development of the program, as well as the challenges and successes of teaching languages remotely. They also explore the importance of building relationships in distance learning and how teachers can create connections with their students. Finally, they discuss  Go Learn, a platform that allows school districts to offer and access additional courses through live virtual instruction. The conversation explores the implementation of hybrid learning models and the importance of preparing students for the future workforce. It also discusses innovative teaching methods and the benefits of distance learning.

Takeaways

• The world language program in Ohio offers live virtual instruction to students, providing access to language classes that are otherwise unavailable at their local schools.
• Building relationships is crucial in distance learning, and teachers can use various strategies such as sharing personal stories, using breakout rooms, and incorporating interactive activities.
• The Go Learn program is a platform that allows school districts to offer and access additional courses through live virtual instruction, expanding educational opportunities for students.
• Live virtual instruction is different from asynchronous online learning; it requires specific strategies and approaches to ensure student engagement and success. Additional training is necessary for a successful hybrid learning environment.
• Hybrid learning models prepare students for the future workplace.
• Innovative teaching methods can engage both in-person and remote students.
• Distance learning provides opportunities for students that may not exist otherwise.

Host Links:
Browse amazing virtual learning opportunities at CILC.org

Seth's  Banyan Global Learning prepares students for real life with 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.