An effective learning environment balances several key elements. Here’s how we’re accomplishing these in an online environment: World-class faculty combining relevant, deep expertise with immediate application. Active engagement between participants to leverage their experiences. Experiential learning to put new frameworks into action and practice working in teams.

1. E-LEARNING
T
wo of the biggest obstacles to
innovation are success and his-
tory. Many large companies —
and American universities —
are steeped in both. However,
the world in which we develop
people and grow talent continues to change
dramatically. Careers span continents and
time zones, require leaders to influence ef-
fectively in virtual teams, and demand the
agility to build new skills rapidly. Anticipat-
ing and supporting these demands requires
innovative models that maintain high en-
gagement between leaders and content
experts, leverage experiential learning and
foster relationships across the organization
—without flying talent to central locations
for all learning needs.
Let me begin by stating the obvious: discuss-
ing online learning as something monolithic
is absurd.
At UNC Kenan-Flagler, we have no doubt
that online education can match and even
exceed the performance of conventional
education when done right.
BalancingTalent andTime Online
SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT
During the past two years, we have invested
tremendous time and energy to develop our
onlineMBAprogramforworkingprofessionals,
MBA@UNC, and believe that its success offers
insights to meeting the development needs of
far-flung talent for our corporate partners.
An effective learning environment balances
several key elements. Here’s how we’re ac-
complishing these in an online environment:
World-class faculty combining relevant,
deep expertise with immediate
application.
• In our MBA@UNC program, we pair
our best faculty members with media
production and instructional designers
to translate concepts they teach
effectively in physical classrooms to
a virtual environment. We use team
teaching across each course, combining
academic and practitioner approaches,
to increase impact.
• New frameworks and models are provided
in highly produced modules for students
to review asynchronously prior to a live
class. Students can access and review
content as needed to master concepts.
Active engagement between participants
to leverage their experiences.
• Professors lead weekly live virtual
sessions, limited to no more than
15 participants, in a“flipped”classroom
engaging students in application
through case discussions, participant-led
presentations or breakouts for exercises.
• Participants are face-to-face via webcam,
dialed in by voice, and share content in
their virtual classroom. Small cohorts
6
“Qualityeducationatanylevel
isaboutthedesign,thecontent,
theexpertiseofthefacultyand
facilitators,theinteractionbetween
participants,andtheimpacton
behaviorchangeandskillbuilding
createdbyexperiences—notabout
thedeliverymechanism.”
—SusanCates

2. MAY 2013
SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT
contribute to the intensity — there’s
no“back row.”
Experiential learning to put new
frameworks into action and practice
working in teams.
• UNC Kenan-Flagler is committed to the
power of experiential learning. In person,
we use simulations, cases, role-based
negotiations, improv, storytelling and
innovation labs, among other tools.
Participants practice problem solving in
teams and tackle action learning projects
focused on real business problems.
• We use all of these approaches
effectively in our online environment,
with the same level of engagement and
results, while students practice firsthand
operating in a global, virtual team.
Opportunities for assessment and
reflection in a supportive environment.
• Self-assessments, multi-raters, faculty
and peer assessments can all be
effectively delivered and coached
virtually. Virtual face-to-face coaching
allows for even complicated situations
to be handled in a safe and supportive
environment.
Creation of relationships across functions
and geographies.
• Driven by face-to-face technology,
small, intense cohorts and an LMS that
supports social networking interaction,
our MBA@UNC students build strong
relationships. They meet for virtual
happy hours, support each other
through difficult decisions and help
each other solve problems.
The effectiveness of online programs to de-
velop talent should be judged by the same
yardstick we use for in-person learning ex-
periences: Do the participants take away
concepts that they’re applying to lead and
manage differently? Are they making an im-
pact on their business? MBA@UNC students
report that what they learn in class Mon-
day night, they’re applying at work Tuesday
morning. Their employers value this; about
30 percent of our students have received
promotions and new jobs after only one year
in the program.
Our experience has shown that we can effec-
tively reach a global community of leaders
at multiple levels and drive real-time appli-
cation of concepts. We use the same design
approach to deliver high-impact, custom
programs for corporate partners who need
to develop leaders worldwide, both effec-
tively and efficiently. Global talent managers
can now address tough leader development
issues traditionally reserved for face-to-face
sessions through robust technology-en-
abled learning solutions.
Asking whether online learning can match
the quality of conventional learning is ulti-
mately the wrong question. As technology
evolves, the question will increasingly be-
come how to deliver impact, regardless of
the way it is delivered.
For more information, visit www.uncexec.com
and www.onlinemba.unc.edu.
7
By Susan E. Cates
Susan E. Cates is president of executive development at the University of North Carolina at Chapel
Hill Kenan-Flagler Business School and serves as executive director of the MBA@UNC program.
Prior to joining UNC, she was a partner with Best Associates, a private equity firm with investments
primarily in the education sector, based in Dallas. Cates was previously part of the founding team of
ThinkEquity Partners, where she headed the education investment banking practice with responsibility
for business development, client relationships and deal execution. She was a principal of the boutique
investment bank in New York, which she co-founded with former colleagues from Merrill Lynch & Co.