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

Reasons for Enrolling

Hi John, You make a very good point about why it is important to know the reasons for students enrolling in a course. This way you know how to approach them in relation to how you can encourage them to put forth the effort needed to acquire the necessary competencies. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Expanding Your Instructional Abilities

Hi Sherri, Welcome to teaching. I hope you are enjoying your new role as a director of learning. You get to "sell" your field, work with students and get paid for it. That is as good as it gets. In terms of feedback you can give the students 3x5 cards and have them write down their comments about a the value of a project or discussion. They don't put their names on the cards so they can be free with their comments. I have found they give me very valuable feedback so I can modify my instruction as the course… >>>

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Increasing Student Retention

Hi Matt, These examples of situations and mistakes that have been made all help to reinforce the course content. It gives the students a "heads up" in terms of what to look for when they enter the field. Good points. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Learning from Instructor and Student Introductions

Hi Judith, This is a great way to create a solid foundation for the course as well as a comfort zone for the students. This way they all can feel accepted in the course as well as feel they can be successful in the field with hard work and effort. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Making Your Expectations Clear

Hi Blanche, Spoken like a true educator. The key is the fact that you are educating individuals in their career area. They should want to receive the best instruction and be dedicated to the acquirement of the maximum knowledge possible. This is not always the case as we all know but to expect anything less is to reduce our own professionalism. Keep up the good work and great attitude. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Making Your Expectations Clear

Hi Jill, So simple, so forthright, so effective. This approach ensures that the students know the expectations, requirements and policies of the course. This helps the course to move forward without excessive confusion and concern on the part of students. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Defining Instructional Professionalism

Hi Dana, I like your definition of professionalism. Rapport and respect are two works that help to describe the relationships that teachers need to create with their students. The students see you as a professional that is sharing expertise and experience with them in order to help them achieve their career goals. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Your Instructional Style

Hi Tammi, This is good advice for all new instructors. Build your instructional base upon your abilities and strengths. The emotional intelligence within which you work then helps to build the relationships you need to create with your students. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Motivation Through Relevancy and Application

Hi David, This is such a great complement to your abilities as an educator. You are creating a legacy in your field and helping to prepare a next generation of professionals that care about your field. Keep up the great work that you are doing. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Preparing and Delivering Effective Lectures

Hi Blanche, I like an instructor that really "gets" into it when working with students. This passion sells well with students even if you are over the top and dramatic. This really engages the students even if they think that you are larger than life. Gary

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