7th Annual Undergraduate Research Conference, March 21-22, 2014
Jim Harris
A brief of Jim’s Keynote Address - Lifelong Learning: The Learning Paradox
Here is a stunning fact: 80% of the technology we will use in our daily lives in just 10 years hasn’t been invented yet. Hence, our work lives and job security will be based on learning, changing, and accepting uncertainty. Paradoxically, as adults, these are often things we fear. As the key to joy and success in life, lifelong learning has never been important.
Jim is a one of North America’s foremost thinkers on learning, leadership, innovation and change and was one of the first seven Canadians personally trained by Al Gore to present the slide show for the movie An Inconvenient Truth. He is also one of just 12 Canadians who were licensed to publicly teach Dr. Stephen Covey’s work, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. More specifically, Jim's areas of expertise include innovation and creativity, environmental leadership, creating learning organizations, energy efficiency, strategic planning, and creating common organizational mission and vision. Some of his publications include A Crisis is a Terrible Thing to Waste, Blindsided!, and The Learning Paradox which was ranked as one of the top 10 business books in North America. Be sure to come out and be ready to think about change.
Please visit Jim’s website: jimharris.com
Richard Wiggers
A brief on Richard’s speech – Lifelong Learning – Learning to Work/Working to Learn: What is the Relationship Between a Postsecondary Credential and a Job?
Although Ontario has already achieved higher post-secondary attainment rates than any other province in Canada, there are also growing concerns about the labour market for graduates. Some believe that an arts and humanities education is an anachronism in the modern economy; others extol the virtues of post-secondary education; still others argue that additional credentials are needed. In the midst of all of this, reports of university graduates working as “baristas” continue to dominate the media. Based on current research evidence, how can young people best prepare themselves or the job market after graduation?
Richard Dominic Wiggers, Executive Director – Research & Programs | 416.212.3881 / rwiggers@heqco.ca
Richard holds a B.A. (Carleton), a Master’s (Ottawa), and a Ph.D. (Georgetown), where he also held a SSHRC doctoral fellowship. He has authored or co-authored nearly two dozen publications and edited collections, and regularly gives presentations and keynote addresses at academic conferences, professional development workshops and other events. He also continues to teach a variety of college, undergraduate and graduate courses.
In addition to seven years employed in a variety of positions with the federal government (departments of Justice, Secretary of State and Indian Affairs), he has worked for two private sector organizations involved in education related issues. More recently, he spent seven years with the New Brunswick government in the Post-Secondary Affairs Branch (Department of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour) and as the Manager of Innovative Learning and Professional Development with the Department of Education.
After starting with HEQCO in January 2009, Richard has become responsible for managing more than 80 research projects dealing with Student Services, Teaching and Learning and Graduate Enrolment Expansion, as well as a major five-year research project on Work Integrated Learning that involves 14 Ontario colleges and universities. He also serves on the Editorial Board of the Canadian Apprenticeship Journal, as an External Associate with the University of Waterloo’s Centre for the Advancement of Co-Operative Education, and as a Faculty Advisor with Humber College’s new Research Analyst Post-Graduate Program.
Cindy Peltier and Rob Graham
Cindy Peltier, PhD Candidate, School of Rural and Northern Health, Laurentian University
Cindy Peltier is a doctoral candidate in the fourth year of the Interdisciplinary PhD Program in Rural and Northern Health at Laurentian University. A band member of the Wikwemikong Unceded Indian Reserve, Cindy lives on Manitoulin Island with her family. She holds an MLIS (Western), an MA in Human Development (Laurentian), a BEd (Nipissing) and an Honours BA in Psychology (Laurentian). As an educator and researcher, Cindy has worked in north eastern Ontario, Anishinaabe communities for over ten years. Her dissertation research, co-supervised by Dr. Kristen Jacklin and Dr. Nancy Lightfoot, will explore the experiences of the Manitoulin Anishinaabe people when diagnosed with cancer. The research examines the potential benefits to the inclusion of Indigenous healing in cancer treatment. Specifically examining whether the inclusion of Indigenous healing brings a person closer to achieving Minobimaadiziwin, an Anishinaabe understanding of physical, mental, spiritual and emotional well-being.
Rob Graham, PhD Candidate, Schulich School of Education - Assistant Professor
Professor Rob Graham was the 2013 recipient of the Nipissing University Distinguished Alumni Award. He holds three degrees from Nipissing including a four year honours degree, bachelor of education, and a master of education degree. Today, Professor Graham is in the final phases of his PhD program in the field of technology-enhanced learning and e-Research at Lancaster University located in England. He is set to defend his thesis entitled, Techno-Resiliency: An Exploration of Professional Practices Within the Field of Technology-Enriched Learning in early June. During Rob Graham’s seven years as an assistant professor in the Schulich School of Education, he has designed and taught several components of the innovative program, including technology enriched learning, classroom management, imagination creativity education, and classroom methods. As well, he has had the opportunity to teach within the field of technology enriched learning for the past three summers in the Aboriginal Teacher Certification program and the Teacher of Anishaabemwin as a Second Language. This work has added to a diverse teaching portfolio that includes teaching appointments in Japan, Hawaii, a penal institution, an intermediate public school and adult education. By rough estimate, Graham has taught over 10,000 students in his 20-year teaching career. In his spare time, he spends time with his wife and daughters age 6 and 12. As well, he plays drums in the well-known local classic rock cover band MLC. Note: The band will be performing at the annual Farewell Eddie Charity Pub that he organizes on Friday April 11th at the Fraser Tavern!