ONLINE LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT DEVELOPMENT

Transcription

1 ONLINE LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT DEVELOPMENT

2 lmd.athabascau.ca 2

3 Leadership and Management Development (LMD) builds organizational capabilities By developing core characteristics of good leaders, employees will contribute to better outputs, better productivity and a better strategic environment. I m thrilled at the success we have had meeting the development needs for our clients from organizations of all shapes, sizes and industry sectors. Deborah Hurst, PhD Dean (acting) and LMD Program Director Faculty of Business Build leadership skills quickly, at the times and places that work for you. Online Leadership and Management Development (LMD) courses provide graduate level professional development opportunities in two ways: scheduled courses for individuals, and custom-tailored solutions for organizations. LMD focuses on immediate workplace applicability, addressing specifi c management or leadership skill areas with curriculum adapted from AU s highly successful online Executive MBA program. LMD academic coaches are experts in their respective fi elds with both academic qualifi cations and industry experience. Our faculty ensure that managers and executives gain practical implementation skills in all curriculum areas. Our LMD courses are different than other professional development or executive education options. Our courses are graduate level, structured with course objectives and focused learning outcomes. Students receive grades based on weekly assigned discussion questions, individual projects and final papers. In each course, students work in online groups of eight to ten under the guidance of an academic coach who facilitates active discussions and group dynamics, ensures students are applying theories and concepts correctly, supports critical thinking and provides insights or tools to help clarify points or themes.

4 Choose LMD courses for specific development needs LMD courses can be mixed and matched to meet specific needs or to complement your organization s existing internal education or training. Individual LMD courses Each LMD course can be customized to your industry context and weekly discussion questions can tackle issues happening in your company. In addition, our courses can be combined for a non-credit certificate which can be co-branded. Courses cover a variety of management topic areas including:: Leadership Project Management Strategic Communications Entrepreneurship Innovation & Productivity Finance & Economics HR Management Manufacturing Management Change Management Transfer credit LMD courses offer the potential for transfer credit into the AU online Executive MBA program. Each LMD course can be used as one credit hour, should the student be accepted into the MBA program. In addition, LMD courses can be transferred into LMD certificates or the post-baccalaureate diploma in leadership and management. lmd.athabascau.ca 4

5 How online LMD courses work The foundation of LMD courses is the application of theory to practice and peer to peer learning. Our courses bring students together from a variety of industry sectors, various departments within an organization, and across geographic locations. This diversity of opinion, experience, and areas of expertise allows students to understand how theories and concepts can be applied in a variety of contexts. Asynchronous Asynchronous learning means students are never required to be online at a certain date and time. We have students and academics from across Canada engaging in learning and teaching 24 hours a day. Online/Offline Whether in Richmond, BC or Saskatoon, SK, at home or at work, students can access the online learning environment as long as they have access to the Internet. Paced Too much fl exibility can be as challenging as not enough. AU s paced courses are four weeks long, have set start and end dates, and include a workplan with assignment deadlines and requirements for group work and collaboration within each course to keep students on track. You control when and where On average, students spend approximately 8-12 hours over roughly fi ve to six days per week on coursework. When and where are completely up to the student: early mornings, lunch hour what works for our students works for us.

6 lmd.athabascau.ca 6

7 Leadership is about visioning, inspiring, encouraging - all critical elements to making a genuine change and achieving objectives. It s the human dimension and it s often not given the attention it deserves. Angela Workman-Stark, PhD Academic Coach for The Leadership Challenge AU encourages students to reflect on Why do you think the way you think? Participation in weekly group discussions is a significant portion of each course grade. Each weekly discussion question requires students to apply a management theory, concept or tool to their industry, organization or role within their company. A student s grade is based on how they think through and respond to questions, how they help others understand their point of view and by how they integrate new theoretical knowledge into their overall management perspective. All voices heard equally What matters at AU is the strength of the argument, connection to academic theories and concepts to organizational issues and the sharing of ideas and thoughts. Everybody has the opportunity to participate equally. A chance to think things through At AU, interaction and peer learning are not constrained by time or location. This allows our students to have the time to think and refl ect, to craft a response. This model puts theory into practice and moves beyond memorization to mastery. Proven effective LMD courses are developed and taught by AU s experienced academics. Their role is not to lecture, but rather to guide discussions and collaborations toward effective peer learning. A team devoted to student success An entire team within AU s Faculty of Business are focused on our LMD student s success. Our core faculty, academic coaches, admissions coordinators, learning services and IT HelpDesk are available to provide resources and assistance to help our students learn effectively within the online learning environment.

8 Organizational benefits Custom Tailored Learning Our team works with organizations to understand development needs and offers a full range of online professional development solutions to meet each goal. This allows our team to recommend the appropriate online approach to address the unique development goals you have for your employees. Whether through our open enrollment courses, a complete custom-tailored program, or a co-branded certificate program to complement your in-house training, our team will build online professional development solutions tailored for you. Grow Organizational Capabilities Develop your employees soft skills by building on their strategic management and leadership potential. LMD will enhance your employees knowledge and skills allowing them to lead in new ways, set new goals, take on new projects, and think strategically. These new capabilities will create opportunities for organizational growth. Cost Containment The structure of LMD allows organizations to contain costs while developing talent. Each four week LMD course is $1, which includes online learning tools, materials (e-textbooks/digital reading) and fees. Your employees are not required to travel or miss work to complete course assignments, meaning no lost time or other opportunity costs. Learning Outcomes / Immediate ROI Each LMD course has specific course objectives and focused learning outcomes that must be demonstrated to earn a successful grade in each course. Students are required to apply management concepts and theories to their workplace throughout their courses. Your organization gains a direct and immediate return from the student s very first week. lmd.athabascau.ca 8

9 Minimize costs while maximizing results Education grant money is available! As an employer, you can take advantage of your provincial Canada Job Grant to provide educational opportunities for your employees opportunities that will enhance their career success while enhancing your organizational success. Through the Canada Job Grant, your organization can receive reimbursement of two-thirds of the cost of training, up to a maximum of $10,000 per employee. You can access up to $300,000 per year in grant funding to cover tuition, learning materials and fees. All LMD courses or certificates are eligible for two-thirds reimbursement, making this an extremely cost effective educational option. Examples: Full course/certificate cost Course: $1,108 Certificate (8 course) $8,864 Canada Job Grant pays: $ $5, Employer pays: $ $2, There has never been a better time to consider developing custom education options for your employees, rather than sending them to standard, one-size-fits-all courses and hoping they bring back relevant and applicable knowledge. We can tailor a certificate specifically to meet your organizational needs. AU will provide assistance and recommendations for taking advantage of your provincial Canada Job Grant to minimize your cost while maximizing return.

10 Examples of Organizational Collaborations Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME) According to the Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters Management Issues Survey, the occupational segment amongst manufacturers with the largest expected growth-of-need over the next fi ve years is not skilled production or technicians and engineers it s management. To help address that need, CME partnered with AU to launch a Manufacturing Management Certifi cate (MMC). This eight course non-credit certifi cate was created to develop and nurture new managers and supervisors from within existing manufacturing operations. Courses were built in collaboration with CME with specifi c learning objectives and outcomes for the manufacturing sector. Upon completion, students receive a co-branded certifi cate of completion. We chose to work with AU because of their ability to customize and develop content specifically to suit the needs within the manufacturing sector. AU s online environment allows students in manufacturing from across Canada to collaborate, exchange ideas and challenge thinking through leveraging their online environment. This certificate does not require students to travel to or attend classroom sessions, or take time away from their current workplace responsibilities. Derek Lothian Vice President, Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters lmd.athabascau.ca 10

11 Canadian Gaming Centre of Excellence (CGCE) The benefi ts of gaming in Canada are signifi cant. It is the largest single component of Canada s entertainment industry, contributing funds for important public programs and charities. The industry directly employs over 135,000 Canadians, pays more than $2 billion in salaries annually and represents over $10 billion in current capital construction. AU was approached by the CGCE to collaborate on a Gaming Leadership Certifi cate for managers and professionals working in lottery, casino gaming, horse racing, video lottery, and charities. This eight course non-credit certifi cate includes four AU online LMD courses on leadership, ethics, change management and human resources, all tailored within the gaming context, and four courses from the CGCE on gaming operations, revenue management, gaming law and casino design. This collaboration has been successfully running since 2012 and attracts students from across Canada s First Nations, Crown agencies and private gaming organizations. AU offered the flexibility we needed as well as the high level strategic perspective we were looking for. Equally important, AU worked with us to make the case studies relevant to our industry with situations our people would actually face. Dayna Hinkle Director, Canadian Gaming Centre of Excellence

12 Athabasca University (AU) Faculty of Business Phone: (toll-free in North America) Website: lmd.athabascau.ca