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

Creating Personal Support Systems

Hi T, Thanks for sharing this strategy. I know it will be of benefit to other instructors. This method will help to gel the class together as they are learning that their fellow student is more that just a space heater sitting next to him or her. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

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Valuing Student Opinions

Hi Dr. Jeffries, Good strategy in terms of student inclusion. Each student knows they are going to have to contribute at some time or another so they stay engaged so they can see where they can best add to the discussion, ask a question or interact with other students. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Increasing Student Retention

Hi Sara, Right you are. Respect and value are two very important parts of learning culture. Students will work hard even on subjects that they see as being less important to them in their career development if they know they are respected and that they are valued as students. Keep up the good work. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Instructor Enthusiasm

Hi Maureen, I like the way you think. We do need to laugh. Laughter helps to get the blood flowing, the brain cells firing and our bodies flexible. Once all this is done learning can begin. By starting at such an early hour if you didn't use humor in the classroom I'm not sure how you would get them started. I was raised on a dairy farm so my days started at 4:00am, 7 days a week. Maybe that is why I'm not a dairy farmer today and that I teach classes beginning at 4:00 pm and ending at 10. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

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Instructors as Motivators

Hi Philip, You are right about the need for enthusiasm on the part of the instructor. Some days it is hard but we have to bring our A game to the classroom and let the students know we are serious about learning occurring that day. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

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Accommodating Learner Preferences

Hi Wesley, Great to hear about your progress so far. Keep up the good work. Your use of variety in your instructional delivery helps to keep the students engaged and forward focused. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

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Motivating Learners

Hi Mary, Thanks for sharing this great way of using the life experiences that the students bring to class but in such a way that they don't dominate the class nor share incorrect information. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

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Understanding Learner Characteristics

Hi Claudia, Glad to hear about your success with student groups. I use them a lot in my teaching and really like the way that the students learn how to work with others as well as draw together on their projects. They also get a little competitive and this makes for some fun times in the class. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Instructor Enthusiasm

Hi Steven, Right you are bout enthusiasm being infectious. An excited and motivated instructor does much for the learning of students. They become part of the learning community much quicker when they know their instructor is dedicated to their learning. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Making Instruction Relevant

Hi Jose, Good point. Adult learners are bringing life experiences to the career college setting because they are wanting to improve their current career setting or prepare to enter a new one. They are focused and ready to tackle the content. Instructors need to make sure they are investing the needed time in preparation to help these learners achieve their goals. Gary

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