The following session took place at the recent TLt 2009 conference:

The Leaders' Panel, moderated by Mr. Philip Cameron, will address strategic vision, challenges and issues related to Distance Education and to teaching and learning with technology on campus. The panel has been asked to prepare a 3-5 minutes presentation addressing questions that they have been given in advance. Questions and comments will follow from the audience members.

Panel

Barb Bremner

Associate Vice-President, Educational Services, SIAST

Based at SIAST’s Woodland Campus in Prince Albert, Dr. Barb Bremner has contributed extensively to a variety of teaching, curriculum and leadership roles at SIAST since 1982. She began her career with SIAST as a math and physics instructor in Basic Education and has held numerous positions including continuing education consultant, program development consultant, project manager, director, dean and associate vice president.

She is regarded as an accomplished academic leader and respected educator. Dr. Bremner holds a bachelor of education and a bachelor of science from the University of Saskatchewan, a master of education from the University of Saskatchewan, and a doctorate of education from the University of Calgary.

Ernie Barber

Vice-Provost, Teaching & Learning, University of Saskatchewan

Dr. Ernie Barber was appointed in an acting capacity as Vice-Provost, Teaching and Learning for a two-year term, effective July 1, 2008. He previously served for one year as the Acting Provost and Vice-President Academic.

From 1999 to 2007, Dr. Barber provided exemplary leadership to the University of Saskatchewan’s College of Agriculture as the Dean. Previously, Dr. Barber served as Head of the Department of Agricultural and Bioresource Engineering in the College of Engineering.

Over his 30-year career, first with the British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture and then with the University of Saskatchewan, Dr. Barber has led productive research programs and has taught undergraduate and graduate students. He was honoured with a University teaching excellence award, as well as being named “Professor of the Year”. He has been the recipient of a variety of distinguished awards.

Gary Boire

Vice-President Academic, University of Regina

Gary Boire is the Vice-President Academic at the University of Regina. Prior to coming to Saskatchewan he worked as a Senior Lecturer at the University of Auckland, Visiting Lecturer at the University of Kent, Chair of English and Film at Wilfrid Laurier University, and Dean of Graduate Studies at Lakehead.

His research and teaching interests include law and literature, postcolonial theory, and social class/radical pedagogy.

Herman Michell

First Nations University of Canada, Vice President Academics

Dr. Herman Michell is currently the Vice President Academics at First Nations University of Canada. He is originally from the small fishing/trapping community of Kinoosao, on the eastern shores of Reindeer Lake in northern Saskatchewan. He speaks fluent Cree (‘th’ dialect) and also has Inuit, Dene and Swedish ancestry.

Dr. Michell has been involved in the field of Aboriginal higher education in different capacities for over ten years. He is a tenured professor at First Nations University of Canada and has taught undergraduate courses in Indigenous Health Studies, Education, and Environment. In addition to teaching and research, Dr. Michell sits on numerous internal and external committees including having served on the Board of Governors at First Nations University of Canada as a faculty representative for seven years. His administrative experience includes completion of a three-year term as Department Head of Science.

In 2008, Dr. Michell completed a Ph.D in Education from the University of Regina in Curriculum and Instruction with a focus on the inclusion of Woodlands Cree culture in science education. Previous to this, he graduated with a Masters Degree in Education from the University of British Columbia in 1998, specializing in Curriculum & Instruction. He also completed graduate course work in Education Psychology and Special Education from both UBC and the University of Manitoba. Dr. Michell initially obtained a Bachelor of Arts Degree majoring in Sociology from the University of Winnipeg in 1990.