Virtual Classrooms Offer Rich Learning Experiences

Online learning had already been around for a while when the pandemic hit, but it was a time of adjustment for many executive program participants who were expecting a face-to-face experience not mediated by their computer screen.

Schulich ExecEd instructors quickly transitioned their in-class modules to the virtual classroom and, judging from the feedback they received, the move was highly successful. In fact, people are finding that the online format can bring added value to the learning experience.

Not only does the safety and convenience make online learning attractive but it allows for breakout sessions, virtual discussion groups, polls, quizzes and access to pre-recorded modules in a flexible way. Participants still have access to the knowledge and experience of instructors who are experts in their fields, and in some cases, follow-up sessions with them after the program has ended. The hands-on-learning, lively discussions and interaction with fellow participants that business people have come to expect from Schulich ExecEd is still there.

As an agile educational institution highly attuned to the constantly shifting circumstances of the business world, Schulich ExecEd knows the importance of addressing the disruption caused by the pandemic and its aftermath, as well as strategies and coping skills to deal with it. In the virtual classroom, facilitators apply the many different capabilities of the Zoom video-conferencing platform to replicate the interaction of the classroom and give teams the chance to work with the material and apply the learning in real time.

Participants are regularly surveyed to ensure that programs are meeting their needs and expectations, and Schulich ExecEd’s number one goal is to provide the optimal learning experience to maximize program benefit. Some material is provided in online modules using the Canvas platform, allowing for self-paced access to new knowledge.

And now some Masters Certificate programs and short programs are available in the virtual classroom through our University Executive Education Network partner schools. These “piggybacked” programs – offered simultaneously across Canada by Network schools with Certificates of Completion awarded jointly by Schulich ExecEd and that institution – offer participants some rich additional benefits:

• Interaction and network building with career-oriented leaders from different regions in Canada (and now Western New York!)
• Exposure to a diversity of perspectives and experiences associated with regional regulatory, political and geographic differences
• Prestige associated with participating in a world-class executive education program from Canada’s best business schools.