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

Effective Motivation Techniques

Hi Benjamin, Well said. Also, having been a middle school teacher I know where you are coming from. I figure if you can teach kids of this age all other teaching is a piece of cake. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Accommodating Learner Preferences

Hi Anne, Great to hear about your teaching strategies. Dr. Gardner's definition of intelligence really explains what we are trying to do. By using his definition we are going to be able to more effectively reach our students. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

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Developing Clear Goals and Objectives

Hi Lawrence, Right you are. Make it clear and plain from the very beginning. This way the students can concentrate on meeting the expectations or the course rather than wondering what they are. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

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Adapting Your Instructional Strategy

Hi James, Coming up with creative ways of delivering content is one of the fun parts of teaching. Talk to other instructors, go on line and look at different delivery strategies (Hint: Look at elementary deliveries--you will surprised at how many applications you can get from elementary teachers and use with adults). Soon you will be using games, small groups, cast studies, etc. to help your students get the content needed for your course. Have fun with it and they will to. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Adapting Your Instructional Strategy

Hi Erin, You make a very good point in relation to helping students to see the big picture. An instructor needs to have the big picture in mind and then break it down into bite size chunks of content so the students can gain the foundational knowledge and skills need for the career area. The intent of the basic content is to assist instructors to be able to do the breaking down of the content into learning segments leading to the big picture. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Your Instructional Style

Hi Jim, Good quote and good advice contained within it. Thanks for sharing it with us. You are right it is work to engage every student when you have larger classes but every effort you can put forth in this area will be well worth it. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

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Understanding Learner Characteristics

Hi Gene, What has been the biggest benefits of using the team approach in your experience? Do you have any suggestions for new instructors that want to use teams in their classes? Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

The Human Factor in Retention

Hi Anis, Building that personal connection really helps to get their names planted in your mind. This is a good approach to not only remember their names you are also forming a connection with them as you learn more about their lives and career goals. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Instructors as Role Models

Hi Kelly, You make a good point about students reflecting a professional attitude. We have all experienced someone in public, such as a retail store that has a negative attitude and takes it out on us, the customers. We remember those experiences and don't frequent that store again. The same is true for students as they enter their chosen field. Personal interactions, positive attitudes and competence all contribute to successful career paths. They need to be reminded of this on a regular basis. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Feeling Accepted Helps with Success

Hi Mitchell, Well said. This is so important for instructors to be aware of and react to. They must work at making sure everyone is included in the course, even those that are not as outgoing or involved as other students. Gary

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