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

Defining Instructional Professionalism

Bonnie, Excellent advice on how to project a professional image and serve as a role model for the students. This is a such an important part of the total career development process. Gary Dr. Gary Meers

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Effective Motivation Techniques

Karen, Something we need to keep in mind as we present our course content. Students really like to hear about the experience their instructors have in their career field. It helps make the content relevant to them. Gary Dr. Gary Meers

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Instructor REFOCUS

William, That is one of my favorite quotes to use when working with curriculum committees. The question is what outcome do we want at the conclusion of our effort? No change the same outcome. Change different outcome. Let's decide how we are going to approach this situation. Gary Dr. Gary Meers

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Application of New Knowledge

Elizabeth, I use a lot of case studies in my classes as well. My students really get involved in trying to solve the problems that are presented in the case studies which helps them when they step into their real world careers. Gary Dr. Gary Meers

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

The Human Factor in Retention

Michael, Two excellent examples of how a student is impacted by the attitude and approach of the instructor. Your first experience gave you a level of dread that you carried so long. Glad to hear the second go at stats was such a positive experience leading you to your next career step. The experience of your girlfriend's sister is sad because many of the PhD's here at my university are like the one she encountered. The have the PhD in a subject area and not in people. Thanks for sharing with us. Gary Dr. Gary Meers

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Re: Effective Retention Strategies

Karen, Yes, they are. This is one of the reason I enjoy being a teacher. I get to help individuals achieve their career goals and shape their future. This is awesome! Gary Dr. Gary Meers

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Understanding learner characteristics...

James, Good advice for instructors to remember. Each class has an unique personality and we have adjust our instruction to support that personality. I have two sections of a class that are completely different so I teach each of the differently. The good news is that I don't get bored because even though they are the same course the instructional changes help me to stay excited about teaching them. Gary Dr. Gary Meers

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Being Successful in College

Michael, I agree with you about the impact you had on the life of this student. Your encouragement and reinforcement helped him to stay engaged throughout the course. This is what being an educator is all about--helping individuals to create a future for themselves. Gary Dr. Gary Meers

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Preparing and Delivering Effective Lectures

Molly, I use Q&A sessions where I give students questions to respond to after the mini-lecture, role playing, case studies and small group discussions. All of these strategies help the students use their newly acquire knowledge. Gary Dr. Gary Meers

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Making Your Expectations Clear

Mary, I like this approach because it sets the standard for the course. This reduces confusion on the part of students and gets them to focus on what is coming. Gary Dr. Gary Meers

End of Content