In this episode of *Morning Motivation for Educators*, host Danielle Neufer addresses March's challenges for educators, emphasizing the need for reflection and resilience. She announces a guided spring regroup session to help educators regain clarity and highlights the importance of well-being for personal and student success.

In this episode of Why Distance Learning, your hosts talk again with Michael Barbour — the most-cited researcher in K-12 online and distance learning — about what it would actually take to fix how teachers are prepared to teach online, and why thirty years of K-12 virtual learning hasn't produced that change yet. Drawing on his 2024 paper with Charles Hodges, Michael lays out six concrete steps — two focused on building the research base, four focused on teacher preparation programs — and explains why none of it happens without explicit mandates from states and accreditation bodies. The assumption under examination: that teacher prep programs will gradually incorporate online pedagogy on their own as demand grows. The evidence suggests they won't, for the same reason they never properly integrated technology in the first place.Together, the hosts and Michael explore the structural reasons teacher preparation programs can't make room for online pedagogy without a mandate, even when they want to. They dig into a counterintuitive finding from Newfoundland and Labrador — where students with K-12 online learning experience actually performed worse in college online courses than their peers, not because online experience is harmful, but because of how that particular program's heavy synchronous structure coddled students in ways that didn't transfer. They examine what the research actually shows about online learning and mental health (short version: the modality isn't the problem, and during the pandemic, logging into school may have been the most normal part of a child's day). And they work through the affordances and tradeoffs of synchronous versus asynchronous instruction — a framework any practitioner can apply immediately. Michael closes with the two big questions currently driving his research: where is the field of K-12 online learning thirty years in, and how much of what gets regulated in the US is driven by ideology rather than evidence?Key topics:Six-step framework for reforming online teacher preparation (Barbour & Hodges, 2024)Why teacher prep programs don't change without state or accreditation mandatesThe Newfoundland counterintuitive finding: when prior online experience hurtsSite-based facilitators / e-deans and the role of on-site support in distance programsSynchronous vs. asynchronous instruction: affordances, tradeoffs, and how to chooseOnline learning and student mental health: what the research actually showsGovernance and regulation of K-12 online learning in the US vs. other jurisdictionsLinks & Resources:Michael Barbour's website: michaelbarbour.comBarbour, M. K., & Hodges, C. B. (2024). Preparing teachers to teach online: Steps for teacher education. Open Praxis. https://openpraxis.org/articles/10.55982/openpraxis.16.4.727Barbour, M. K., Moore, S., & Veletsianos, G. (2023). Online/remote learning and mental health. https://touroscholar.touro.edu/tucse-pubs/29/Digital Learning Collaborative / Community for Advancing Digital Learning (DLAC): Research agenda report and special issue of the Journal of Online Learning Research https://www.deelac.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DLAC-Research-Agenda-Phase-2-Final-1052025.pdfGuest Bio: Michael BarbourMichael Barbour is widely cited as the most prolific researcher in K-12 online and distance learning. His work spans student success and persistence in virtual environments, teacher preparation for online instruction, and the governance and regulation of K-12 online programs across jurisdictions. He is currently focused on building a research agenda for the field and examining how political ideology shapes online learning policy in the United States compared to other countries. Barbour holds a faculty position and has previously held posts at Wayne State University, among others.About the Hosts: Seth Fleischauer is the founder of Banyan Global Learning and host of Why Distance Learning. Through Banyan, he designs live virtual programs that connect K-12 classrooms to global peers and expert facilitators — building the kind of structured, human-centered distance learning the podcast explores. See https://banyangloballearning.com/programs/global-cohortsTami Moehring and Allyson Mitchell work with CILC, the Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration, to help educators implement high-quality live virtual learning experiences across grade levels. Discover more at CILC.org.

In this episode of The Smarter Campus Podcast, Zach sits down with Forrest Close, data scientist and recent University of New Hampshire graduate, to explore what it’s really like entering the workforce in the age of AI. From navigating college during the rise of generative AI to competing in today’s challenging job market, Forrest offers an honest perspective from the student side of this technological shift.The conversation explores how AI has transformed learning, including the growing gap between homework performance and actual understanding. Forrest shares why students should use AI as a guide rather than an answer machine, allowing it to strengthen learning instead of replacing it.The episode also highlights an important lesson for educators and employers alike: as AI makes technical work more accessible, the value of communication, collaboration, and translating complex ideas becomes even greater. Forrest reflects on discovering that his greatest contribution wasn't writing code—it was connecting technical solutions to real human needs.For educators, students, and higher education leaders, this episode offers a thoughtful look at how AI is reshaping learning, hiring, and the skills that will matter most in the future.

Are your presentations inspiring your team, or are they putting them to sleep?In this episode, international keynote speaker and elite presentation coach David Thomas shares his expert strategies on how corporate leaders, politicians, and public speakers can break out of the "vanilla" presentation trap and become communication rockstars.From preparing clients for the intense environment of the UK Houses of Parliament to analyzing Barack Obama’s dramatic public speaking transformation, David breaks down the exact science of high-stakes communication. You'll learn how to master the first 60 seconds of any speech, inject humor without losing your professional edge, and use storytelling to drive emotional connection and real action.📈 Key Takeaways & TimestampsPresenting in the Halls of Power: David details his experience coaching a client to present complex industry law changes to Members of Parliament (MPs) and Lords in the UK.The Death of the "Vanilla" Presentation: Why do leaders consistently deliver boring presentations even when they want to be engaging? David reveals the psychology of fear behind corporate dullness.Hooking Your Audience Emotionally: Facts tell, but emotions sell. Learn how to bridge the gap between where your audience is and where they want to be.The Secret Weapon: Humor and Storytelling: Think you can't use humor in business? David breaks down Sir Ken Robinson’s famous TED Talk and shares how everyday, relatable anecdotes (like a mishap in a rug shop) build instant trust.The 60-Second Rule & The "Lightning Rod Theme": Why the beginning and ending of your presentation matter infinitely more than the middle. Learn how to design minimalist slides that maximize visual impact.The Barack Obama Transformation: David explains how he uses a video of a 37-year-old, struggling Barack Obama to prove to senior executives and young apprentices alike that public speaking is a trained skill, not an innate talent.🛠️ Mentioned in This EpisodeSir Ken Robinson's TED Talk: Used as a prime case study for embedding humor (roughly one-third of the presentation) into an educational speech.Barack Obama’s Early Speeches: The "before-and-after" video footage David uses to inspire confidence in his coaching clients.Toastmasters International: Recommended as an excellent baseline resource for developing public speaking habits.

What does it mean to be a "cautious advocate" in the age of AI?In this episode of Artificial Intelligence Real Talk, host Matthew sits down with Dr. Alfonso Mendoza Jr. ("Dr. Fonz"), educator, ed-tech veteran, and host of the My EdTech Life podcast, for a wide-ranging and deeply honest conversation about what it really means to bring technology into classrooms with intention.Dr. Fonz brings over a decade of experience as a digital learning coordinator, a doctoral perspective on data and ed tech policy, and a refreshing willingness to pump the brakes when everyone else is flooring it. Together, Matt and Dr. Fonz dig into the lessons learned from the early days of generative AI hype, the growing tech backlash, and what cautious advocacy actually looks like in practice.In this episode, you'll hear:How a term coined by Dr. Nneka McGee ("cautious advocate") changed the way both hosts approach AI in educationWhy the hype cycle of blockchain, NFTs, and Web3 shaped Dr. Mendoza's skepticism about generative AIWhat "data rentiership" means and why it should make every educator pause before adopting a free toolThe difference between substitution and genuine transformation in classroom technology useWhy professional development for teachers is underfunded, rushed, and often set up to failHow looking at teaching through a marketing lens can help educators actually reach every learnerReal strategies for bite-sized, flexible professional learning that actually works ("PD in Your PJs," choice boards, micro-modules)Why students with IEPs, 504 plans, and multilingual learners are most at risk when schools cut their tech stacksWhat the future of higher education might look like as generative AI challenges the value of a degreeWhat are you most curious about when it comes to AI and the future of education?Connect with Dr. Fonz: MyEdTechLife podcastLinkedInTimestamps0:00 — Introduction & Guest Welcome0:59 — The "Cautious Advocate" — How Dr. Mendoza Approaches AI & EdTech Hype11:14 — Tech Backlash, Screen Time & What We Owe Kids21:45 — Student-Centered Learning & What Real EdTech Use Looks Like24:43 — Teacher Training, Professional Development & the Time Problem36:20 — AI Policy, Stakeholder Voice & the AI Readiness Audit1:07:51 — What Are You Curious About? The Future of Higher Ed & AI