Why Distance Learning?

🚨 “Distance learning isn’t the problem—bad implementation is.” 🚨

Too many virtual students feel disconnected and unseen, struggling in a system that wasn’t designed with them in mind. Educators want to create engaging, inclusive online spaces—but without the right tools, distance learning can feel like a barrier rather than a bridge.

🎧 In this episode of Why Distance Learning, hosts Seth Fleischauer, Allyson Mitchell, and Tami Moehring sit down with Dr. Breauna Wall, founder of Collaborative Ed Solutions, to tackle one of the biggest challenges in virtual education: how to build an emotional climate that keeps students engaged—especially those with diverse learning needs.

Key Takeaways:

✅ Why emotional climate is the #1 factor in student success—before grades, curriculum, or even technology.

✅ How online learning can be a game-changer for students with disabilities and marginalized learners.

✅ The difference between access and true inclusion—why simply providing a device isn’t enough.

✅ Proven strategies to foster engagement and connection in any virtual classroom.

✅ Golden moment: How one father’s frustration turned into a powerful breakthrough in student support.

💡 PROBLEM → SOLUTION → ACTION

If your virtual students feel like they’re just a name on a roster, this episode will change the way you think about online learning. Discover practical strategies to build community, engagement, and real human connection—even through a screen.

About Today’s Guest:

Dr. Breauna Wall is the founder and CEO of Collaborative Ed Solutions, a Johns Hopkins University teaching associate, and an expert in special education and educational leadership. With over a decade of experience, she focuses on empowering educators and fostering inclusive, accessible learning environments. Her upcoming book on supporting special educators will be released in 2025.

Guest Links:
1. Dr. Wall's CollaborativeEd Solutions - https://www.collaborativeedsolutions.com/

Host Links:

1. Discover more virtual learning opportunities and resources at CILC.org with Tami Moehring and Allyson Mitchell.

2. Seth Fleischauer’s Banyan Global Learning provides meaningful global learning experiences that prepare students across the globe for success in an interconnected world.

Research Consulted:

1. Golden, Alexandrea and Emily N Srisarajivakul, Amanda J Hasselle, Rory A Pfund, and Jerica Knox. "What was a gap is now a chasm: Remote schooling, the digital divide, and educational inequities resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic." [PubMed Central] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10259090/

2. Pressly, J.P. "Online Learning Can Help Minimize Racism and Ableism In and Out of the Classroom." [Edtech Magazine] https://edtechmagazine.com/higher/article/2022/05/online-learning-can-help-minimize-racism-and-ableism-and-out-classroom

3. Spievack, Natalie and Megan Gallagher. "For Students of Color, Remote Learning Environments Pose Multiple Challenges." [Urban Institute] https://www.urban.org/urban-wire/students-color-remote-learning-environments-pose-multiple-challenges

“Geography should not keep us from learning and creating together.”

Music education thrives on real-time collaboration—but for years, online instruction has struggled with one major roadblock: latency. For music teachers, conductors, and performers, even a slight delay makes synchronous playing nearly impossible. What if that problem disappeared completely?

In this episode, Why Distance Learning hosts Seth Fleischauer, Allyson Mitchell and Tami Moehring welcome Terry Lowry, a composer, conductor, and founder of Musical Overture, to discuss how Gig Room, his breakthrough low-latency music platform, is revolutionizing virtual music collaboration.

Terry shares the hidden challenges of online music performance, the technical breakthroughs behind real-time distance collaboration, and how tools like Gig Room are not just replicating in-person learning—but enhancing it.

And now, this technology is paving the way for something even bigger: Stars Align, an ambitious global project aiming to connect a billion students in real-time music performance. Imagine students around the world—led by renowned musicians, astronauts in space, and global changemakers—joining together for a live, synchronized song that transcends borders and brings the world together through music.

Key Topics Discussed:

• 🎼 The #1 barrier to online music learning—and how to eliminate it

• 🎧 How Gig Room achieves ultra-low latency for real-time collaboration

• 🏆 The first-ever “E-Concert” and what it proved about distance music learning

• 🎵 How distance learning can make students better listeners

• 🚀 The future of global music education—can a billion students perform together?

Key takeaways:

• Conducting and teaching share similarities in preparation, communication, and fostering a collaborative environment.
• Musical Overture and Gig Room bridge geographical gaps, enabling musicians to collaborate and perform together in real time.
• Technology like Gig Room can enhance music education by providing opportunities for virtual rehearsals and performances, leading to greater confidence and preparedness among musicians.
• Innovative projects like Stars Align demonstrate the potential of virtual platforms to create large-scale, impactful musical events that unite people worldwide.

Learn more:

• Visit Musical Overture to explore the platform and Gig Room.
• Watch the documentary “Hear Us” on Apple TV and Amazon Prime to learn about the world’s first e-concert and its impact.
• Subscribe to the podcast to hear more inspiring stories from educators and industry professionals leveraging technology in virtual learning.

Guest Bio:

Terry Lowry is a Steinway Artist, conductor, and composer with over 200 works. He is the host of the Tone Poem podcast, the conductor of the Carroll Symphony Orchestra, and the co-founder/CEO of Musical Overture. His work in low-latency music technology has helped musicians worldwide perform together in real-time—no matter where they are.

Host Links:

1. Discover more virtual learning opportunities and resources at CILC.org with Tami Moehring and Allyson Mitchell.

2. Seth Fleischauer’s Banyan Global Learning provides meaningful global learning experiences that prepare students across the globe for success in an interconnected world.

Subscribe to Why Distance Learning for more engaging interviews and insights into the evolving landscape of virtual education. Available on all major podcast platforms. Visit Be Podcast Network to learn more about the network and discover other educational podcasts.

In this fascinating episode of the Why Distance Learning podcast, your hosts sit down with Heidi Clements, an Instagram influencer with a substantial following, to explore the intersections between social media influence and educational strategies. Heidi, known traditionally for her work as a Hollywood producer but now for her vibrant presence online - particularly on platforms like Instagram and TikTok - shares how her journey as a content creator involves significant elements of distance learning.

Heidi delves into how her background in writing and her personal narratives resonate deeply with her audience, turning her social media pages into platforms of learning and personal development. She discusses the pivotal role of authenticity and vulnerability in connecting with her audience, particularly touching on her initiative to help people feel good about themselves through fashion and personal stories.

The discussion also covers how Heidi's approach to content creation mirrors educational techniques, such as engaging storytelling and maintaining relatability to ensure message retention. She emphasizes the importance of making her followers feel seen and heard, a practice that educators can emulate to enhance engagement and learning outcomes in virtual environments.

This episode is particularly enlightening for educators looking to understand the dynamics of audience engagement on digital platforms and how these strategies can be adapted into more formal educational settings to enhance student engagement and learning.

For more insightful discussions on the transformative power of distance learning, follow the podcast, share with colleagues, and explore the detailed show notes linked below for more on Heidi Clements' innovative approaches to digital content and education.

Guest Links:

• Follow Heidi Clements on Instagram
• Follow Heidi Clements on TikTok

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

In this episode of the Why Distance Learning? podcast, our hosts interview Sara Burmenko from the Center for Puppetry Arts, delving into the unique world of puppetry as an educational tool. Sara shares her journey from an education major to becoming the director of the digital learning department at the Center for Puppetry Arts, emphasizing how puppetry bridges cultural and educational gaps globally. Her insight into the evolution of puppetry underscores its universal appeal and educational potency, particularly its ability to make learning accessible and engaging across various cultures and languages.

The discussion also explores the technical and expressive aspects of puppetry, with a spotlight on different puppetry styles like Bunraku and shadow puppets. Sara’s passion for puppetry shines as she describes its educational applications, from teaching history through masks to exploring ecological themes with butterfly puppets.

This episode not only highlights the adaptability of puppetry in education but also resonates with the podcast’s theme of making educational experiences accessible through innovative distance learning methods. The conversation concludes with a reflection on the transformative potential of distance learning, akin to historical advances in public access to knowledge.

For more insightful episodes, follow the podcast, share with friends, and explore the detailed show notes linked below.

Guest Links:
1. Center for Puppetry Arts

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

Is distance learning just a pandemic-era stopgap, or does it have lasting potential in education?

Virtual learning skeptics often assume that online education was a temporary fix—an emergency response rather than a viable long-term model. Many educators and policymakers still equate today’s online learning with the chaotic transition of 2020, failing to recognize how far the field has come.

In this episode, John Watson, founder and CEO of DLAC and the Digital Learning Annual Conference, joins us to challenge these misconceptions. As one of the leading voices in digital education, John has spent decades tracking the evolution of online learning, from early adoption to the cutting-edge innovations shaping its future.

Key Insights & Takeaways:

✅ Distance Learning Is Not a Pandemic Experiment—It’s a Proven Model.

• Many assume that online learning started with COVID, but John explains how digital education has been a long-standing movement with a robust foundation before the pandemic.

• The abrupt shift in 2020 was emergency remote learning, not the structured, effective virtual programs that have been evolving for decades.

✅ The Reality: Virtual Learning Expands, Not Replaces, Student Options.

• Online courses are often the only way students can access AP classes, dual enrollment, or specialized subjects.

• Hybrid and online programs are built on choice, allowing students to personalize their learning while maintaining flexibility.

✅ The Future of Education Is Hybrid, Not Either-Or.

• The next wave of education isn’t about choosing between online and in-person—it’s about blending the best of both.

• DLAC attendees are shaping innovative hybrid models, where online learning enhances, rather than replaces, traditional schools.

✅ Sustainability and Lifelong Learning Matter More Than Ever.

• AI, virtual reality, and digital tools are reshaping education, but sustainable models require schools to focus on personalization and long-term adaptability.

• John shares a powerful story of a student who went from nearly dropping out to excelling in a hybrid learning model, proving that online education creates futures, not just classrooms.

Actionable Takeaway:

Educators and policymakers must shift their focus from debating if distance learning has a future to optimizing its role in expanding educational access and personalization. The key isn’t replacing in-person learning but designing flexible, high-quality options that meet students’ diverse needs.

🔗 Episode Links:

• Learn more about DLAC and upcoming events: DLAC.com

• Explore virtual learning resources at CILC: CILC.org/podcast

📢 Host Links:

• Discover more virtual learning opportunities and resources at CILC.org with Tami Moehring and Allyson Mitchell.

• Seth Fleischauer’s Banyan Global Learning provides meaningful global learning experiences that prepare students across the globe for success in an interconnected world.

🎧 Listen now to hear why distance learning isn’t just here to stay—it’s shaping the future of education.