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.

Activity

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Your Instructional Style

Hi Antoinette, Way to go and way to grow. You are teaching an exact area that requires specific sequences. By introducing some discussion and brainstorming you are opening up the students' opportunity to contribute to the class and personalize the content they have acquired. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Making Your Expectations Clear

Hi Barbara, Right on with your "starting a new class" approach. This way you have reduced potential misunderstandings and frustrations. You lay it out, they receive it and then you discuss it. This lets the expectations, requirements and policies become known and establishes a working base for the rest of the course. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Using a Well-prepared Syllabus

Hi Ellen, Detail in a syllabus is important. It is easier to explain about what is included rather than having to come back and explain something that is not covered. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Offering Varied Instructional Delivery

Hi Ellen, This is a great and ongoing challenge we educators face. This is why we need to integrate as much variety of delivery into our classes as we can while still delivering the essential content. Tough job but one that is exciting because it lets us be creative. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Student Feedback

Hi Jerry, How do you solicit questions from your students so you can "read" their understanding and learn where you need to share additional content? Thanks. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Teaching to Multiple Intelligences

Hi Alan, Good to hear about your interest in learning more about multiple intelligences. I find the area fascinating as well. The longer I am in education the more I realize how little we know in relation to how people learn and this is after all the research that has been done. Humans are complex units to say the least. This is what for me makes teaching so much fun and for sure I am never bored. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Learning from Instructor and Student Introductions

Hi Dylan, Good way to establish yourself as the class leader and a knowledgeable person in the field. This will help you to earn the respect of the students from the very beginning which will carry over for the entire course. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Making Instruction Relevant

Hi Renee, I call this "connecting the dots". The students need to see how what is being offered is of value to their futures and that is why it is being taught. This way they can connect the dots between the classroom and the work world in their minds. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Adapting Your Instructional Strategy

Hi David, This is a great strategy for getting the students engaged and focused on the course content. Plus, this makes teaching a lot more enjoyable as a result of feeling confident in your knowledge and skills in your content area. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Adapting Your Instructional Strategy

Hi Darron, Good way to "read" your students and adjust to their needs. This is a sign of a confident and focused instructor. Knowing you can make these adjustments as needed helps to to keep the course on target. Gary

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