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

Making Your Expectations Clear

Hi Lorri, What a great way to set the tone of the class from the very beginning. Your students know where you are coming from and how you are going to operate the class. Also, they know your expectations of them are of the highest professional level. This gives them the standard for the course and their conduct. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Learning from Instructor and Student Introductions

Hi Amy, Thanks for sharing these great ideas with us. They are going to be very helpful in the planning of future class openings and introductions. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Learning from Instructor and Student Introductions

Hi Barbara, This is why it is so important to "read" the dynamics of each class. Some find the social interaction a good way to get the class started and others want to jump right into the content. This is a challenge we instructors face each time we step into a classroom or lab. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Effective Motivation Techniques

Hi Michael, Good advice when it comes to skill development. In our instant culture the thought of working on skill development over a period of time is sometimes foreign to Gen Y students. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Understanding Learner Characteristics

Hi Robyn, Good point about how you have changed your style from when you first started teaching. Instructors that strive for improvement in their abilities and deliveries are those that grow with the field. I am sure we all have had college professors that were frozen in time in terms of their knowledge, notes and delivery. What a long semester it was having their course. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Instructor Enthusiasm

Hi Michael, Well point. I like to be around people who have a passion for what they are doing. This gets me excited about wanting to learn more from them. This is true for students as well. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

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Student Motivation Factors

Hi John, Human brains like variety while taking in new information. By offering variety of presentation, class flow and student interaction instructors can keep their students engaged in the learning process for longer periods of time. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Creating Personal Support Systems

Hi Caren, Good point about helping students to identify their own support systems. The beginning of understanding is the willingness to listen. By talking with the students and listening to their stories you can develop an understanding of what their needs might be. From there you can help them develop a system that will give them the needed support throughout their schooling. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Developing Clear Goals and Objectives

Hi Evan, You make a number of good points but your last point really puts everything into context. If an instructor has laid everything out clearly and has used sound instructional delivery techniques then if a student does not live up to expectations then the responsibility does rest with that student. Students have to take accountability for their own success and work hard to secure the needed content and expertise to enter their chosen career field. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Using a Well-prepared Syllabus

Hi Evan, Well said. A well prepared syllabus keeps the students focused on the desired outcomes and what they have to do to meet them. As you say it reduces the number of often asked questions and helps to set the tone for the class. Gary

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