In this episode of Why Distance Learning, hosts Seth Fleischauer, Allyson Mitchell and Tami Moehring welcome Pat Cassella—Executive Director of the United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA), VP of Worldwide Sales at VDO360, and founder of ETC Video. Pat traces the evolution of video technology in education, healthcare, government, and corporate training—and offers bold predictions about what’s next.

Why This Matters

Educators are flooded with tools but lack training, workflows, and staffing to use them well—especially in hybrid settings where engaging in-person and remote learners simultaneously feels impossible. K-12 systems in particular face understaffing, turnover, and abandoned tech.

How to Make It Work

Pat argues for purpose-built technology aligned to teacher workflows and deliberate pedagogy for virtual/hybrid environments. The big shift: infrastructure is now easy—the work is pedagogical. He also highlights flexible learning models (including micro-credentialing) that expand choice for learners across K-12, higher ed, and the workforce.

Put It Into Practice

1. Audit for Purpose & Fit: Map your most-used teaching routines. Keep/choose tools that reduce steps in those routines and increase engagement for both in-person and remote learners.
2. Train for Hybrid: Treat hybrid as its own modality. Build camera/mic placement, interaction norms, and roles (e.g., a student facilitator) into lesson plans.
3. Offer Flexible Paths: Pilot a micro-credential or short, skills-focused module to give students on-ramps that match their time, goals, and circumstances.

Episode Links

• United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA) — mission, programs, and community
• National Distance Learning Week (NDLW) — first full week of November; explore events and sessions mentioned in the episode
• VDO360 — video collaboration cameras and solutions
• ETC Video — educational technology consulting
• CILC Podcast Hub — past episodes, resources, and community: cilc.org/podcast

Host Links

1. Discover more virtual learning opportunities and resources at CILC.org with Tami Moehring and Allyson Mitchell.
2. Banyan Global Learning provides meaningful global learning experiences that prepare students across the globe for success in an interconnected world.

Many people think of distance learning as impersonal—a screen separating students from real connection. But at the Pro Football Hall of Fame, it’s doing the exact opposite. It’s bringing students face-to-face with legends, life lessons, and the values that make great teams—and great people.

In this episode, Jerry Csaki, Senior Director of Youth, Education, and Leadership at the Pro Football Hall of Fame, shares how he’s turned virtual learning into a front-row seat to greatness. Through the award-winning Heart of a Hall of Famer series, students across nearly every state connect live with NFL icons to talk about character, integrity, and perseverance. What began as a local field trip program has become a global platform for teaching leadership and belonging.

Jerry reveals how distance learning expands access to stories that inspire—stories that remind students that greatness isn’t about fame or stats, but about resilience, teamwork, and heart.

Listeners will learn:

• How the Pro Football Hall of Fame uses live virtual programs to teach life values through sports.
• Why distance learning is about access—to people, perspectives, and purpose.
• How technology transformed the Hall of Fame’s programs from local field trips to global connections.
• What makes stories of perseverance and leadership so powerful when shared directly by the legends who lived them.

If you believe distance learning can only go so far, Jerry Csaki’s story will expand your definition of what’s possible when technology connects classrooms to character.

Episode Links

• Pro Football Hall of Fame – Youth & Education Programs

• Heart of a Hall of Famer Series – Connected by Extreme Networks
  
  

Host Links

• Explore virtual learning resources and programs at CILC.org with Tami Moehring and Allyson Mitchell
• Discover global learning experiences at Banyan Global Learning with Seth Fleischauer

Want to help us reshape distance learning?
Share this episode with a colleague, reflect on your own “why,” and remember: the power of distance learning lies in the connections it creates—between students, stories, and the human spirit.

Many adults assume that kids only tolerate online learning—that it’s isolating, transactional, and never as “real” as learning in person. But what if students themselves told a different story? What if distance learning could be creative, inspiring, and a place to make authentic friendships?

In this episode, we meet Maddie (11) and Ella (13), co-hosts of The Recess Rundown, a podcast created entirely by and for self-directed learners. What started as homeschooling and a love of writing, journaling, blogging, and gaming has grown into a vibrant collaboration fueled by Recess.gg, the online community where they found not only peers but also mentors and their closest friends. Through their podcast, they amplify the projects of other young creators, from coders and artists to bloggers and novelists—and in the process, they discover their own voice.

Maddie and Ella remind us that kids don’t just consume digital culture—they shape it. They share what they’ve learned about podcasting, what inspires them from fellow students, and how distance learning has built their confidence and community.

Listeners will learn:

• How self-directed learners find their passions through creative outlets like journaling, podcasting, and blogging.
• Why online friendships can be just as authentic—and even more motivating—than in-person ones.
• How communities like Recess.gg create a “safe bubble” that grows confidence, connection, and curiosity.
• Why peer inspiration is one of the most powerful forces in education—and how it drives new projects and ambitions.
• What it looks like when kids, not adults, set the agenda for their learning.

If you’re a parent, educator, or school leader wondering whether online learning can truly spark joy, curiosity, and belonging, this episode will challenge your assumptions—and let Maddie and Ella show you what’s possible when kids lead.

Episode Links

• The Recess Rundown Podcast – Student-created show about self-directed learning
• Recess.gg – Where young learners connect, collaborate, and create
• Interview with Recess.gg founder Ben Somers - Why Distance Learning #65: Turning Virtual Learning into a Multiplayer Experience
  
  

Host Links

• Explore virtual learning resources and programs at CILC.org with Tami Moehring and Allyson Mitchell
• Discover global learning experiences at Banyan Global Learning with Seth Fleischauer