Gary Meers, Ed.D.

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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Hi Lenny, Good strategy for enabling your students to get their minds around the new concepts that are being presented. It is like the old saying--"How do you eat and elephant?" Answer--"One bite at a time." This is what learning is about. Keep up the good work. Gary
Hi Dara, This is what you want to do with a new class start. You need to make a good impression and get them settled into the course. Doing some icebreakers and introductions help start the respect and rapport development process. Gary

Hi Anita, I use guest speakers and field trips with my students as well. I like to have recent graduates come in because the students see them as peers and can relate to what they are saying. It is funny because the guest speakers say the same things I say but the students listen to them better because they are out in the field working at what they are training to enter. They don't stop to realize that I made my living for many years doing the same thing and chose to move into to education and say my knowledge… >>>

Hi Susan, This is a great way to get the students involved in shaping the class. Thank you for sharing this strategy with us. I know it will benefit other instructors looking for ways of help students gain ownership of their futures. Gary
Hi Angela, You make a good point about the need for encouragement and support. Many of our students come into the classroom carrying heavy loads and the more we can help them to see their future the more motivated they will be. Gary
Hi Bruce, This is so true. If we aren't excited it is for sure our students won't be. So we need to bring our enthusiasm and A game to the classroom each time. Gary
Hi Stephanie, Well said! This creates a foundation for the rest of the class sessions so all instructors need to be prepared and bring their best professional skills to the classroom. Gary
Hi Bianca, Right you are. Our students need to get a hold of the concept very early in their education so they can build their skills in this area. This involves their language, dress and social interaction. We call these the "soft skills" and are essential for career success as we all know. Gary
Hi Dorothy, A good lesson for all of us. Never, never assume anything. Look all handouts over, review the syllabus and then prepare to still be surprised. Thanks for sharing this experience with us. Gary
Hi Lisa, This is a great way to stay current with your field. Combine this with instructional development and you have a great combination for effective and efficient instruction. Gary

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