Gary Meers, Ed.D.

About me

I am an Education Advisor/Consultant for MaxKnowledge. I write courses that assist in the professional development of career college instructors. These courses range in content from the introductory level to advanced instructional development. I started my teaching career as an instructional technology teacher on the high school level, completed graduate school and then moved into higher education. I spent many years in the area of teacher training at the University of Nebraska. While at the University of Nebraska I stared working with career college instructors to improve their instructional delivery skills. As a result of these experiences I have been a consultant to career colleges throughout the United States and a number of foreign countries.

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Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Understanding Learner Characteristics

Hi Robert, Great ideas that you shared in your comments. Thank you for the input. Your last sentence puts it all in perspective. "Just LEAD!" If the instructor doesn't lead it is going to make for a veeeeerrrrrry looooong course for everyone because the students are going to struggle to figure out what is expected and who is in charge. The instructor is going to feel disrespected and alienated so no one is going to be happy. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Understanding Learner Characteristics

Hi Melanie, Rotating leadership in a work group is a good idea. Often when starting a new class out you can draw upon the most experienced person to get the group started and then start the rotation so everyone gets the chance to contribute and coordinate the learning for their group. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Using a Well-prepared Syllabus

Hi Elayne, Right you are. This is why a well prepared syllabus can head off many problems but letting the students know the expectations, requirements and policies of the course. You can build from there because you have reduced the mystery of what it takes to pass the course. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Strategies for Keeping Students Engaged in Learning

Hi James, I think this is a very effective way of developing skills in students in the areas of technical competence as well as social interaction. Both the skill specific competencies must be there as well as the soft skills needed to be a good worker. The rotation of the positions gives each student an opportunity to develop and refine these needed skills. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Strategies for Keeping Students Engaged in Learning

Hi Charles, Thank you for the sharing these words of wisdom from many years past. Teaching is still communication on an understandable level between human beings. We need always to remember that as we enter the classroom each time. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Instructor REFOCUS

Hi Alexander, Great example of a great point. We have to keep common sense and the big picture in front of us at all times. If we do we will be able to drain the swamp and make a purse out of the alligator. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Your Instructional Style

Hi Eric, Great way to personalize your teaching even though you are not with each student in a face to face teaching setting. These strategies will help to keep the students engaged in what is going on in the class and forward focused in how they can be successful. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Your Instructional Style

Hi Jeremy, Welcome to teaching and the comfortable feeling you have about being a teacher. You have confidence in your abilities and that really helps you to share your message about the field with your students. The journal idea is a good one because it lets you record what happened when it happened so you can improve and expand the next time you teach the course. Keep up the good work. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

The Human Factor in Retention

Hi Alexander, Thanks for sharing this great strategy with us. I believe you are right on when you mention that the student is more likely to answer the phone when it is from a friend. So by using one of their peers you are reaching out to a slipping student in a way that is low key and yet has high potential as the student calling encourages that student to get back into the flow of the class. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Motivation Through Relevancy and Application

Hi Lisa, Thank you for your comments about making course content relevant to and for all learners. Your last sentence says it all. We need to take the extra step to explain the value of our course content to our students so they see how this knowledge can be transferred to other settings. Gary

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