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

Making a Positive First Impression

Kyle, Right you are. The first impression says so much about how a course is going to go for a student. We need to get it right the first time. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Learning from Instructor and Student Introductions

Coleen, Mine to. I am always a bit nervous as I get ready to meet a new class. I always wonder what this group of students will be like and what I will have to do to reach them. Then I go to class and we all have a great evening together with ice breakers, introductions and review of the course expectations. I start two new course tomorrow night so I am really excited as I plan this evening. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Using a Well-prepared Syllabus

Patricia, Good way to make students accountable. They receive, read, listen and sign. This makes the document viable for them and connects the content with the requirements. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

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Motivating Learners

Cindy, Great plan for reaching your students. You are getting the job done for and with your students. This is what being an instructor is all about. Keep being enthusiastic--it drives the students to more engagement. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Defining Instructional Professionalism

Cindy, In relation to your first question about "winging it" vs having everything planned. What I think you will find is that it is a combination of both that gets you through the classes. As you start the course I would have introductions and ice breakers for the students to do. During this time you can wing it and test out your ability to ad lib and be conversational. Also, during this time you will be building rapport with the students so you can be more at ease with your interactions. When you go into the more formal part of… >>>

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

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Teaching to Multiple Intelligences

Susan , Good for you. Learner like variety and change of pace. By following this strategy you are offering both so your students will be engaged and focused on the content. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

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Accommodating Learner Preferences

Heather, Good strategies for reaching your students and keeping them engaged. This sets the stage for success for the students. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

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Instructors as Role Models

Brandon, Good for you. Setting the stage as a professional is so important for success as an educator. Keep up the good work. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

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Creating Personal Support Systems

Tonya, This is such a sad situation for parents. They are trying to better themselves and their families and yet they still get caught up in the system. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Making a Positive First Impression

Jennifer, Instructors can recover from poor first impressions if they analyze why they made the poor first impressions and then work to overcome the issues. These instructors can be open and explain that the class didn't get off to the start they wanted and here is what they intended to do with a class. Then they come on with a highly organized well planned opening. This sets the stage for a positive new start. Then it is up to the instructor to maintain the level of quality throughout the course and respect will be developed by both the instructor and… >>>

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