Educating Solution Integrators

 

M. E. (Ed) Jernigan, PhD

Professor and Director, Centre for Knowledge Integration, University of Waterloo

 

Tuesday, February 9, 2010
12:00 - 1:00pm
Davis Centre 1304 University of Waterloo

 

View Video of Presentation in HI Alive Archive: Research Seminars Archive 2009-2010

Abstract
Education in the 21st century must prepare our students to engage with and adapt to a complex and rapidly changing world. It is not enough that students understand only the humanist’s perspective, or only the scientist’s - complex issues such as climate change, health care and the global economy require the perspectives of many disciplines, together with the critical thinking and synthesis skills to see the big picture. Knowledge integration builds bridges across disciplines and develops the essential skills of the 21st century - it develops students who are literate, numerate, articulate, and know how to play well with others - it develops students as integrative thinkers who can collaborate across boundaries - disciplinary boundaries, geo- political boundaries, and cultural boundaries - students who are better equipped to understand and cope with the extraordinary challenges of our times

 

About the Speaker
Ed Jernigan is Professor and Director of the Centre for Knowledge Integration at the University of Waterloo. He is also a Professor and former chair of Systems Design Engineering. He joined Waterloo in 1976 after completing his BS, MS and PhD degrees at MIT.

He is a dedicated teacher and has been recognized with both the Distinguished Teacher Award of the University of Waterloo and the Teaching Excellence Award for the Faculty of Engineering.

Since 1984 he has served as the Program Director for the Shad Valley summer enrichment program, living in residence with 48 high school students during the month of July.  In 2004, he created a university wide enrichment program for high school students of exceptional potential, Waterloo Unlimited, which he continues to direct. In September 2008, he launched a new undergraduate degree program, Bachelor of Knowledge Integration.