Why Distance Learning?

In Part One of this two-part episode,  Seth, Tami, and Allyson delve into the insights and experiences of a diverse group of North American distance learning professionals. Reflecting on the golden moments of their careers, our guests share captivating stories that highlight the profound impact they've had on students and, in turn, how the learners have affected them. Despite the physical distance that separates teacher from learner, these stories highlight the bonds formed through distance learning and remind us of the remarkable connections that can be forged in virtual classrooms. The crew is thrilled to welcome returning guests and introduce you to new experts with unique perspectives and innovative approaches. Explore the links below to learn more about the exceptional institutions our guests represent and to uncover groundbreaking work in distance learning. Stay tuned for Part Two to learn more from this conversation among colleagues and friends! Discover the outdoors with Karin Davidson-Taylor at the Royal Botanical Gardens here: https://bit.ly/3NROQws Explore with Annie Mumgaard at the Morrill Hall: University of Nebraska State Museum here: https://bit.ly/3pobwer Investigate with Katie Wolfson at the UCAR: Center for Science Education here: https://bit.ly/42XSxoI Jump in with Brandon Hall to Learn Around the World here: https://bit.ly/3pu6fC3Learn along with Dr. Jasmin Poor at the Roper Mountain Science Center here: https://bit.ly/3JDaodH Dig in with Kellie Saraceno at Longwoods Gardens here: https://bit.ly/3Jyu42c Discover with Jessica Meadows at Fort Monroe Authority here: https://bit.ly/3XsXFQC Embark with Marc Kotz on a Born 2 Move Adventures here: https://bit.ly/46oxPRR Dive in to learn from Jason Robertshaw at Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium here: https://mote.org/pages/education/education-online You can always keep up with Allyson and Tami at the Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration (CILC) here: https://bit.ly/445KkjM As always you can stay connected with Seth at Banyan Global Learning here: https://bit.ly/3NOScAn 

Show Notes

In Part One of this two-part episode,  Seth, Tami, and Allyson delve into the insights and experiences of a diverse group of North American distance learning professionals. Reflecting on the golden moments of their careers, our guests share captivating stories that highlight the profound impact they've had on students and, in turn, how the learners have affected them. Despite the physical distance that separates teacher from learner, these stories highlight the bonds formed through distance learning and remind us of the remarkable connections that can be forged in virtual classrooms. 

The crew is thrilled to welcome returning guests and introduce you to new experts with unique perspectives and innovative approaches. Explore the links below to learn more about the exceptional institutions our guests represent and to uncover groundbreaking work in distance learning. Stay tuned for Part Two to learn more from this conversation among colleagues and friends! 


Discover the outdoors with Karin Davidson-Taylor at the Royal Botanical Gardens here: https://bit.ly/3NROQws 


Explore with Annie Mumgaard at the Morrill Hall: University of Nebraska State Museum here: https://bit.ly/3pobwer 


Investigate with Katie Wolfson at the UCAR: Center for Science Education here: https://bit.ly/42XSxoI 


Jump in with Brandon Hall to Learn Around the World here: https://bit.ly/3pu6fC3

Learn along with Dr. Jasmin Poor at the Roper Mountain Science Center here: https://bit.ly/3JDaodH 


Dig in with Kellie Saraceno at Longwoods Gardens here: https://bit.ly/3Jyu42c 


Discover with Jessica Meadows at Fort Monroe Authority here: https://bit.ly/3XsXFQC 


Embark with Marc Kotz on a Born 2 Move Adventures here: https://bit.ly/46oxPRR 


Dive in to learn from Jason Robertshaw at Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium here: https://mote.org/pages/education/education-online 


You can always keep up with Allyson and Tami at the Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration (CILC) here: https://bit.ly/445KkjM 


As always you can stay connected with Seth at Banyan Global Learning here: https://bit.ly/3NOScAn 


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.