This is the first of a two-part conversation with Michael Barbour, one of the most cited researchers in K-12 distance and online learning. Michael is assistant dean for academic innovation and integration at Touro University California, and has spent nearly three decades studying the design, delivery, and support of K-12 distance, online, and blended learning — as well as the policy and governance structures that shape it. His work has brought him before legislatures and policymakers around the world.

In this episode, we put a foundational assumption on the table: that research gives teachers answers. Michael makes a clear and generous case that it doesn't — and that both researchers and classroom teachers share responsibility for that misunderstanding. The distinction he draws between best practices and promising practices isn't semantic. It has real consequences for how leaders build cultures of evidence-informed decision-making, and how teachers are trained to engage with research in the first place.

From there, the conversation moves into some of the most persistent misconceptions in the field — including the idea that distance learning only works for certain types of students, and the often-overlooked role that local support plays in whether any online program succeeds or fails. Michael also challenges the assumption that face-to-face teachers have a natural engagement advantage over their online counterparts, and makes a compelling case for why the distance environment may actually offer more tools for meaningful connection — not fewer.

"The best that we can hope for in all honesty is that research might lead us to a promising practice as a starting point." — Michael Barbour

Topics covered:

• 00:00 — Michael's origin story in K-12 distance learning
• ~04:00 — Why teachers don't engage with research, and why researchers share the blame
• ~10:00 — Best practices vs. promising practices: why the distinction matters
• ~17:00 — Who distance learning actually works for
• ~21:00 — The role of local support in online program design
• ~24:00 — Engagement, belonging, and the myth of the visual cue
• ~30:00 — What "personalized learning" actually looks like in K-12 online contexts

Links and resources:

• DLAC Research Agenda Summary — referenced early in the conversation
• NEPC Newsletter: AI and Personalization in K-12 Online Learning — Michael's recent piece on what personalized learning actually means in practice
• Discover more virtual learning opportunities at CILC.org with hosts Tami Moehring and Allyson Mitchell.
• Seth Fleischauer’s Banyan Global Learning combines live virtual field trips with international student collaborations for a unique K12 global learning experience.

After attending DLAC — the Digital Learning Annual Conference — founded by John Watson, one thing is clear: the digital learning community doesn’t retreat under constraints. It builds.

Yet, for some, the question persists:
Was distance learning just a pandemic stopgap? Or is it a durable part of education’s future?

In this episode, John Watson joins us to unpack what the field actually learned from 2020 — and what it didn’t.

One of the most persistent misconceptions, he argues, is the conflation of emergency remote instruction with purpose-built online learning. High-quality digital programs take months or years to design. What happened during the pandemic was an emergency pivot. Those are not interchangeable.

More importantly, this conversation reframes the debate entirely. The future isn’t “online versus in-person.” It’s about expanding options.

What We Explore

• Why online learning should be compared to real on-the-ground alternatives — not idealized versions of school.
• How digital access enables other opportunities (CTE pathways, dual enrollment, flexible schedules), not just online coursework.
• Why hybrid models are emerging as one of the most dynamic growth areas in K–12.
• What personalization actually means — beyond superficial choice menus.
• How AI may reshape agency, instruction, and lifelong learning in unpredictable ways.
• A powerful story of a student who moved from functional dropout status to graduate school through a hybrid pathway.

Throughout the conversation, a consistent theme emerges: Success should not be measured at the system level alone. It has to be measured at the level of individual students and the futures they’re building. Distance learning isn’t valuable because it’s digital. It’s valuable because it creates flexibility where rigidity used to exist.

A Shift in Perspective

Instead of asking whether distance learning has a future, perhaps the better question is:

How do we design systems where digital tools expand human possibility — rather than merely digitize existing constraints?

The schools represented at DLAC are not arguing for replacement models. They are building blended ecosystems that combine online coursework, face-to-face experiences, internships, community partnerships, and emerging technologies in ways that make school more adaptive.

Episode Links

• Learn more about DLAC and their year-round professional learning communities: https://www.deelac.com
• Explore additional episodes and resources: https://www.cilc.org/podcast

About the Hosts

Seth Fleischauer is the founder of Banyan Global Learning, which designs structured live virtual and global learning experiences that expand student connection across classrooms and continents.

Tami Moehring and Allyson Mitchell work with CILC to support educators in implementing high-quality digital learning experiences across grade levels.

🎧 Listen in for a grounded conversation about what’s hype, what’s durable, and why distance learning is less about modality — and more about access, design, and student futures.