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

Using a Well-prepared Syllabus

Hi Allana, Good backup plan for making sure the students have full access to the syllabus without any excuses. This should help to keep the students focused on the course and what the requirements are for them in the course. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

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REFOCUS...

Hi Gordon, One of the ways I have done it to to announce that I have just been approached by a person asking if I can provide a solution to a problem (I give details and specifics) that has to be solved in the next number of hours. (Can be 24-72,etc.) Then I ask for input and possible solutions. Sometimes I will break the class into groups and have them work on a part of the solution. Then we all get together at the end of the time and see what we have. It fun for the students and it… >>>

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

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Motivation techniques...

Hi Gordon, Thanks for sharing this example of how a good thing can be overdone. We need to have a balance between what we deliver and who we have come in. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

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Making a Positive First Impression

Hi Bruce, Right you are. Setting the tone for the class is important for the students. This way they will know what the expectations are and how you are going to conduct the class. This should help to get them settled into the course and ready to learn. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

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Understanding learner characteristics...

Hi Gordon, You make an excellent point about listening to students and then customizing instruction relating to the outcomes of those sessions. This is so important when you have students like your experienced business person. I to have had such students and I make it a point to talk with them and try and determine how I can structure their learning experiences to benefit their career goals. One of them was a downsized CEO of a multi-million dollar company. Talk about experience! He was great to work with and I learned much from him that I still use today in… >>>

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

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Motivating Learners

Hi Bruce, This has been my experience as well. It helps to make you real plus it starts the development of rapport between you and them. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

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Instructors as Role Models

Hi Gail, Great job of being and acting as a professional. You may be the first person your students have encountered in their career field. They don't have anything against which to measure a professional so you set the standard. This is so important if they are going to be successful in the future. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

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Motivating Learners

Hi Steve, This is a good point. Students become so focused on the specific class they are in they forget how this class contributes to their total career training. By pointing that out you are helping them to get a vision of the future. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

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Learning from Instructor and Student Introductions

Hi David, This is how you get students settled into the course and feeling comfortable. Introductions serve as such great ice breakers and respect developers for students and the instructor. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

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Strategies for Keeping Students Engaged in Learning

What are some strategies for keeping students engaged throughout the class?

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