Bernie Monette, M.Ed.
Professor | Program Coordinator, Web Development, Ontario Graduate Certificate
Faculty of Media and Creative Arts
A familiar name at Humber and a familiar name associated with Research, Bernie Monette has made significant research contributions. He has done so through working with external partners and engaging students by allowing them to tactfully apply concepts they are learning in their respective programs to real-life industry challenges. This collaborative effort contributed on Bernie’s projects has resulted in improving the quality of products and services for industry partners, in turn positively impacting the community.
Bernie began his journey with Humber in 2000 at the Department of Media Studies; he is now the Program Coordinator and Professor in charge of the Web Development Program. He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in History and Political Science from the University of Toronto in 1983 and obtained a Master’s in Education in Computer Based Instruction from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education in 1996. Bernie has been the recipient of the Distinguished Faculty Award in 2012, an annual award given to select faculty at Humber College, and the Research Excellence Award in 2014 for his involvement with applied research over the years. One memorable achievement that Bernie mentions is the Get Your Hours website at getyourhours.org, a web platform designed to help high school students find and track the volunteer hours they need to graduate.
A professor who has led his students beyond the classroom to instill a desire to learn cognitively and think like problem-solvers, Bernie has used the funding he has acquired through research funding to propel economic development and spark real change. Bernie has provided mentorship for several projects and continues to be an impactful part of our growing research community at Humber. We asked Bernie why he values ‘research,’ and he fittingly responded:
“It’s been good for Humber. It’s been good for the program. It’s good for the partners.”
This is what Bernie had to say about his involvement with Humber’s research community:
“Working with Applied research & Innovation (ARI) allows me and my students to take on new and interesting projects that create a positive economic impact. The folks at ARI are great to work with and have an uncanny ability to find these little pots of money we need to keep these projects going. In the end, everyone: partner, student, and faculty benefit from working on these projects and working with ARI.”
Humber greatly encourages the benefits of embedding research-based learning into the curriculum, and the support and enthusiasm of researchers, like Bernie, help us achieve that goal. Have a look at one of the research projects that Bernie has led, which received valued recognition:
Sharing My Journey: Engaging end-users in the design of a compassionate community platform:
The Windsor-Essex Compassion Care Community (WECCC) and Humber have created a platform that allows patients and caregivers to take direct control of their healthcare in the broadest sense of the term. Initially, this project was to create a prototype, but due to the enthusiasm of the student team, a much higher quality version was created. This version is currently in use to help people and track their progress.
When asked what research meant to Bernie, he answered, “I found that research projects add an opportunity for a genuine client relationship and a genuine chance to improve the economy.” Wise words from a Humber Researcher Rockstar.
We thank Bernie for his valuable contributions and look forward to collaborating on a future research project. In the meantime, get to know Bernie a little better; here are 4 things you didn’t know about him, in his words:
1. When I’m not at work, I am photographing birds.
2. A book that most influenced me is ‘The Magic Mountain’ by Thomas Mann.
3. A website I visit most often is sitepoint.com
4. Coffee or Tea: Depends on the time of the day.