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

Reinforcement as Motivation

Hi Patricia, Good point. Immediate feedback really helps to keep students engaged and focused on the course content. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Effective Motivation Techniques

Hi Patricia, I think this is a great way of getting students engaged in discussions and class participation. They get to talk about their own experiences but in the context of the career area. This really helps them to buy in to the course. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Instructor Enthusiasm

Hi Bernie, Great point. If the instructor isn't excited about the content the students are not going to be either. We need to be focused on sharing the information we have about the field in such a way as to make it interesting each time we step into the classroom. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Feeling Accepted Helps with Success

Hi Vicki, Right you are in terms of students needing to feel accepted into the class setting. If they are comfortable with the instructor and feel respected by other students they well be more engaged in the class. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Reasons for Enrolling

Hi Debbie, I really like your last sentence. It says it all for our students. They need to be reminded on a regular basis the value of an education. As you say you can never lose your education but you can fail to acquire it. So our students need to be supported in their effort to acquire an education that can change the direction of their lives. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

The Human Factor in Retention

Hi Diane, Good question-similar to the tree falling in the forest and on one hearing it. Yes, there will be some form of human factor operating when two humans interact but the question is how they interact. Instructors need to consider how they are being received by the students in terms their communication patterns. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Strategies for Keeping Students Engaged in Learning

Hi Alan, You are right with your comments about keeping the lectures in a time frame that allows the students to get the information but doesn't let them drift off. Students like variety and by changing the pace of the class you are giving them opportunities to stay engaged in the learning process. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Student Feedback

Hi Kevin, Way to keep your finger on the pulse of the class as well as getting feedback on your instructional efforts. This way you can make any changes you need to to keep the students engaged and moving forward in their learning. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Your Instructional Style

Hi Irene, You got that right. There is a bid difference between reading how it is done in a text and then doing it in real life. Students need to learn how to be flexible in their problem solving so they don't get caught in a situation for which they have no answer since the text didn't cover that situation. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Accommodating Learner Preferences

Hi Dr. Norton, Real life experiences help to reinforce what has just been covered in lecture or lab. These examples help the students to see the consequences of their actions in terms of medication or recommended therapy. For each animal brought in for treatment there is an owner that has put trust in the skills of that person. That trust should not be violated through a lack of effort or knowledge. Well said in terms of how you use your life experiences. Gary

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