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

Strategies for Keeping Students Engaged in Learning

Hi Mary, I like your strategy. This way you get through the content while keeping the course moving forward. The length of time spent on content sharing keeps the focus of the students while offering them a variety of instructional opportunities. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Valuing Student Opinions

Hi Barbara, Simple concept but so important. Respect cannot be forced it must be earned. You make a good point about how it is an essential part of teaching. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Accommodating Learner Preferences

Hi Wendy, This is a great way to personalize and customize instruction based upon the needs of your students. Getting to know them at the beginning of the course helps them to know that you care about their success and you are going to base your instructional planning around what you have learned about their learning preferences. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Using a Well-prepared Syllabus

Hi Jeff, Right you are in terms of the value of a well prepared syllabus. It is a contract between you and the students so it needs to contain the essentials of the course so everyone starts the course on the same page. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Making a Positive First Impression

Hi Anne, First impressions help to set the tone for the class so planning should be made to make them positive. With ice breakers and introductions the students can get to know you and each other so everyone is comfortable in the class. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Making a Positive First Impression

Hi Mellisa, You make a key point concerning student respect. As a part of planning for positive first impression opportunities there needs to be activities that will facilitate the earning of respect by both you the instructor and the students. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Your Instructional Style

Hi Jamie, Right you are. Management of student behavior is essential for teaching success so instructors need to make sure they are managing the situation from the first day on. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Your Instructional Style

Hi Mary, Good example of how students can make application to the newly acquired knowledge. The more opportunities you can provide like this the more effective your students are going to be able to grasp both the concepts and applications. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

The Learning Environment Effect

Hi Anne, Thank you for sharing this example of how the physical setting impacts the learning of students. We know it but sometimes the administration forgets how important it really is to student success. Once your students could spread out and feel comfortable they were good to go with the class. Just common sense but sometimes forgotten. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

The Learning Environment Effect

Hi Mellisa, The more encouragement you can give students as they return to school after being out for a while the better for them. They need to feel that they can be successful if they put forth the effort. Gary

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