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

Accommodating Learner Preferences

Hi Christin, Learning is enhanced through multiple applications and that is what you are doing with your method of delivery. When there is a connection between cognitive acquirement and tactile application the retention of content is enhanced greatly. Keep up the good work. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Learning from Instructor and Student Introductions

Hi Nick, Instructors can make themselves human through their interaction and rapport with students. As you say a joke here and there and some light moments enhance the relationship between instructors and students. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Learning from Instructor and Student Introductions

Hi Mark, Thank you for sharing these examples how instructors can develop and refine their listening skills. Good listening as we know also enhances more effective communication because instructors and students. By knowing more information about students through listening instructors are able to more accurately target their comments to support the learning needs of students. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Motivating Learners

Hi Skip, Great way to start a class. You are modeling the kind of professional behavior that students need to see from the very first day of the class onward. By showing them you care about them personally as well as their career success you have set the stage for learning success. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Motivating Learners

Hi Alexandria, Good job of providing multiple sources of support for your students. You are doing a good job of developing rapport with your students as well. As you know this is very important for instructional success for your students. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

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Preparing and Delivering Effective Lectures

Hi Diane, That balance is critical for both the instructor and the students. The students need to see the value of spending the money for the text and the content within it with new and viable information that brings value added information to students. When such balance is found that learning is enhanced and student satisfaction is enhanced. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Preparing and Delivering Effective Lectures

Hi Mark, You make a very good point about the challenges of working through examples in front of the class. I have found myself unable to spell simple words when writing on the board because I was concentrating on what I was gong to do next. The more we can make the examples a part of our instructional flow the easier it will be for us to share these examples accurately with our students. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Instructor Enthusiasm

Hi Ellen, By having a variety of deliveries and support strategies an instructor can appeal to many different learning preferences while not only educating and entertaining students. Some instructors say they should not have to entertain students and in general that is true. The students are not there to be entertained but by being engaging and interesting you will keep the students focused on the content throughout the course. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Feeling Accepted Helps with Success

Hi John, Good point about how things have changed. I was in school back then as well. I attended the large lectures where neither the professor or anyone else cared about quality instruction or student involvement. Slowly a shift has occurred to where social support is very important to students and they want more interaction with their instructors. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Instructors as Role Models

Hi Lachlan, Well said. This is so important for students. I agree that setting your own personal bar high in the ways you conduct yourself is good. Your dress and behavior gives the students something they can measure against. For many of them you are the first person they have spent anytime with from that career field. Gary

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