In this special episode of Why Distance Learning, the tables turn—Seth Fleischauer steps into the guest seat as co-hosts Tami Moehring and Allyson Mitchell interview him about the purpose, design, and future of Global Learning Live, Banyan Global Learning’s next-generation experiential global learning program. They explore what authentic global learning really requires in today’s classrooms—and why the medium of live virtual learning matters more than ever.

Most schools want to build cultural competence, empathy, and real-world communication skills, but:

• Finding reliable global partners is inconsistent and often falls apart mid-year.
• Language learners rarely get opportunities to use English in meaningful, real-world contexts.
• Teachers lack simple, low-prep ways to bring global learning into existing schedules.
• Field trips and international travel are expensive and inaccessible for most students.

The result? Global learning remains an aspiration, not a system.

However, Banyan's Global Learning Live is structured, scalable model that connects students worldwide through live field trips, global collaborations, and authentic showcase moments. Seth shares how 20 years of partnership with Tsai Hsing School led to the creation of an experiential cycle that prepares students not only for academic success, but for a rapidly changing, interconnected world.

What the program delivers:

• Live Virtual Field Trips
  Bringing students into real places—Portland bridges, Renaissance fairs, and more—with authentic “whoa” moments that make learning unforgettable.
• Global Student Collaborations
  Cohorts, not brittle partnerships—designed to reduce dropout risk, increase diversity, and ensure ELL accessibility.
• Authentic Purpose for Language Learning
  English isn’t a worksheet—it becomes the tool students use to communicate across borders and share their original ideas.
• A Low-Overhead, High-Impact Design
  Schools can join four-week pilots with one live class per week + a showcase and asynchronous global exchange.
• ELL-Ready, Teacher-Friendly Materials
  Built to make participation meaningful for all levels, not just native speakers.

Impact to date:

• More than 42,000 student years of distance learning delivered.
• Students report increased confidence expressing original ideas in English.
• Meaningful growth in perspective-taking, curiosity, and cultural competence.

Practical steps educators can take—whether or not they join the pilot.

1. Bring the world into your classroom through personal live video.
Use your own life, community, or experiences as cultural text. Even small shifts build perspective-taking.

2. Integrate short, purposeful global exchanges.
Asynchronous collaboration—sharing artifacts, reflections, or questions—can be powerful without live schedules aligning.

3. Join the Global Learning Live Spring Pilot.
Schools receive a free 4-week experience including:

• One weekly live session
• A live virtual field trip
• A collaborative artifact exchange
• Access to a global cohort of classrooms across continents

4. Start planning for sustained global engagement.
Seth describes the future vision: a global network with diverse cohorts, built-in supports for ELL learners, and eventually a FERPA-compliant platform designed for authentic collaboration at scale.

Episode Links

• Global Learning Live – Spring Pilot Sign-Up
• CILC.org – Schedule Virtual Field Trips, Including Banyan's Bridges of Portland Trip