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

Motivating Learners

Hi Lorelle, The more we can build on previous experiences that students have had the more connection they can see with the course. This is a good point and one that all instructors need to keep in mind as they plan their instructional delivery. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

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Instructor REFOCUS

Hi Robert, Good point about the need keep the students engaged and focused on the course. By offering variety of instructional delivery and activities the instructor can keep their attention as well as assist them in their learning progress. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

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Instructor Enthusiasm

Hi William, I like your way with words! We all need to "power up" if we are going to get our students excited about our field. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

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Student Feedback

Hi Sheila, The key is just as you mention the willingness to listen and growth must be a part of every instructor's professional development plan. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

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Accommodating Learner Preferences

Hi Carol, Thanks for sharing this strategy with us. This helps students to become engaged and focused on the different aspects of the course while seeing themselves as integral parts of the class. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

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Learning from Instructor and Student Introductions

Hi Kelly, Good strategy for getting the course off to a good start. I use the same method and have had the same results as you. We all quickly have the names in our memory bank and this lets us interact more personally with each other since we can attach names with faces early on in the course. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Accommodating Learner Preferences

Hi Wayne, Good to hear. This approach really helps to keep the students engaged and focused on the learning process. A plus is that teaching will be more fun as well because the students really like to use their newly acquired knowledge to problem solve and you are helping them to do such with the case studies, learning groups, etc. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Instructional Style

Hi Seth, Spoken like a true master teacher. Instructors like you help to keep course content fresh and exciting for students. Also, you are able to make adjustments as needed as a result of the notes you have taken and observations you have made. Keep up the great job that you are doing. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

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The Human Factor in Retention

Hi Paula, Right you are. Students need to learn discipline in relation to completion of assignments and meeting deadlines. They will not be successful as workers if they cannot meet the required workplace demands and deadlines. By treating each situation individually you are able to make a decision about how to handle the late assignment. This way they know you are supportive of them but are going to enforce the standards of the course and field. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

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Effective Motivation Techniques

Hi Stacy, I enjoy hearing about their life experiences as well. I am always amazed at how varied and extensive the life experiences my students have. Their experiences help make the classes richer. Gary

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