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.

Activity

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Preparing and Delivering Effective Lectures

Hi Theresa, I would call this "owning" the room. With your movements and eye to eye contact you are showing the students that you are instructor and that you want them to be engaged in the learning process. By moving about you are reducing the opportunities for distractions to occur. Good job of being the leader of the class. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Defining Instructional Professionalism

Hi Jacob, You are right in your assessment of what it takes to be a professional educator. You have to constantly be seeking ways of improvement while keeping current with your field. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Your Instructional Style

Hi Catherine, You make a good point. Change in curriculum or instruction needs to be made in a collective way. Collect all the input you can from students, fellow instructors and your advisory committee members. Once collected then you will have a clear picture of the changes you need to make. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Motivating Learners

Hi Edna, Your point is a good one. Excitement is contagious. Success generates motivation. So by offering students a variety of ways to succeed class management is going to be easier and career development higher. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Sharing Comprehensive and Clear Course Requirements

Hi Claire, Good point. Instructors can't change the requirements half way through and not expect the students to react. Clear specific requirements, expectations and polices reduce student management issues. It is as simple as that. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Instructors as Role Models

Hi Amanda, You are so right. I just wish it was easier to convince the students of the value of good communication, both oral and written. By having command of such skills they will see their careers advance because they have both technical as well as expressive skills. They become valuable in the workplace by having such skills. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Instructors as Role Models

Hi Elizabeth, Good point. We are models in everything we do so we need to be aware of how we are portraying ourselves as we may be the only ones our students have seen that come from the field that they are training in. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Using a Well-prepared Syllabus

Hi David, Good description of how a syllabus should be constructed and used in a class. It is a powerful tool if developed and used appropriately. If it isn't then it becomes a source of confusion and frustration on the part of students. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Expanding Your Instructional Abilities

Hi David, Teaching and riding a bicycle have a lot in common. The more experience you have the better you get at it. Your comments are right on target. We need to experiment and try different approaches to instruction. This way we will have a number of options available to us when we need them. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Your Instructional Style

Hi Karen, This method also starts the development of respect and rapport. The students begin the developmental process of getting settled into the course and learning about the requirements for the coming weeks. Gary

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