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

Comprehensive Planning for Instructional Success

Hi Amy, If an instructor is not prepared then he/she falls into the desperation mode of instruction and no one benefits from that kind of teaching. As you say it is so much better to be able to walk into the class with confidence and know you are ready to be there. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Being Successful in College

Hi Adrienne, Well said. Your understanding of their needs and the provision of support will help them to achieve success not only in your classroom but in their careers as well. Keep giving those words of encouragement they are appreciated and internalized by the students. This is what in many cases keeps them coming to class. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Adapting Your Instructional Strategy

Hi Anne, Thank you for the kind words about the content of our modules. The content is based as you can see on years of experience with students that come from diverse backgrounds and different learning abilities. You have a great attitude about how you will work with your students and meet their respective learning needs while working to motivate them to stay engaged in the learning process. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Understanding Learner Characteristics

Hi Adrienne, Good way of explaining how you will use the information gained from knowing the characteristics of your students. This will lead to more effective and efficient instruction and increased learning potential. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

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Making Your Expectations Clear

Hi Mary Anne, The approach you are planning taking is a nice balance which will enable you to work with the students and provide support as needed without letting them step over the teacher student boundary. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Learning from Instructor and Student Introductions

Hi Frank, I agree with the introduction part of the course. It really helps to make a connection between the students and yourself. They can start to see why you are the instructor and that you have a lot of content and expertise to share with them. This gets the course off to a good start. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

The Learning Environment Effect

Hi Mary Anne, This is a good point that students need to be reminded of throughout their training. They need to see through the eyes of their patients what is occurring during the time they are with them. This will help them to keep the "human factor" in their profession. Thanks for this reminder. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Your Instructional Style

Hi Erin, Welcome to the profession. I wish you much success in your teaching career. I am glad to hear that you have gained a lot information from your first module. Professional development is ongoing so keep looking for ways you can increase your expertise as an educator. Remember to always keep the human factor in your teaching and you will earn the respect of your students and develop rapport as the course progresses. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

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Sharing Comprehensive and Clear Course Requirements

Hi Antoinette, I can appreciate where you are coming from in working with a standardized syllabus. I teach a state required course for certification so I know some of the challenges you are facing. Sounds like you have a very realistic approach to making this situation work for your students. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Instructor REFOCUS

Hi Chris, Sounds like a lot of fun and many different ways to capture and hold the attention of your students. Thanks for sharing these ideas with us. Gary

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