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

Your Instructional Style

Hi Kimberly, Great to hear about the success you are having with your students. For the 5-10% that are "deleting" the information is there anyway of making the content even more graphic that what you are already doing? You are doing an excellent job with the many different approaches you are bringing to them as it is. Can you create case studies of application or flow charts that they work through to get the content they need? I am at a loss on this since I don't teach in this area. What I am basing my suggestions on is the… >>>

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Your Instructional Style

Hi DJ, Great to hear about your personal professional development plan. I wish you much success. You are doing a number of things that will help you to expand your teaching success. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Motivation techniques...

Hi Sean, This is what makes it "real" for your students. They get to combine their knowledge with their skills and this helps them to get just that much closer to their career goals. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

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Clarifying Your Expectations To Students

Hi Albert, Good way of informing your students about what is going to happen in your course and what you expect of them. This creates a very good foundation for them to develop from. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Clarifying Your Expectations To Students

Hi Ty, I understand about the fingers flying situation. I have the same problem at times. The recounting of your experiences is a great way for the students to see how you have progressed in your career and that you are a former student yourself. Sometimes they forget that we all have paid our "dues" in learning our skill and that we didn't just come upon our knowledge. We had to work hard to acquire it. What a great set of experiences you have had, thanks for sharing. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Clarifying Your Expectations To Students

Hi Ty, Great example. Thanks for sharing it with us. You are right about the need to reduce frustration to the minimum. Expectation also translates into success once the expectations have been met. This is what are students want to achieve with their studies. This is how they will meet the goals they have set for themselves. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Clarifying Your Expectations To Students

Hi David, Well done. What ever way you chose to let the students know your policies, requirements, and expectations you are making it clear what they are. This way there are no surprises. Keeping them informed is critical to teaching success and you are doing that. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Matching Content to Need

Hi Michelle, You are right about being able to make the transfer between the classroom and the real world. The students can see the graphic applications of what they have just learned about to the their abilities to make what they have learned. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

The Learning Environment Effect

Hi Kimberly, You might want to create a "break" for them by pulling them together to do a small group activity or some type of competition as a diversion. Since it is under your command they will stop their individual work and shift their attention to you. I use these kinds of things to redirect the thinking of my students so they don't get "brain freeze" from concentrating on one area too long. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

REFOCUS...

Hi Kim, Good way to get feedback from your students. By keeping their goals in front of them throughout the course you will be helping to keep their motivation up even when they start to wear down in the middle of the course. Gary

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