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

The Learning Environment Effect

Hi Andrew, You are so right and I can appreciate the effort you are putting forth to create such a setting. Engagement from a distance can be a challenge so anything you can do to help make that possible is greatly appreciated by the students. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Instructors as Motivators

Hi Erin, You used the key word-relevancy. Students need to see the relevancy of what they are learning as well as how application can be made of their new knowledge. When this is done the students will be motivated and excited about their learning. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Feeling Accepted Helps with Success

Hi Victoria, This is so true. Feeling a part of the class and confident to ask questions is important for students. They know that they will be respected and responded to based upon their individual needs. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Being Successful in College

Hi Leo, This is a great example of the kind of support we can provide our students especially those that are coming back to school after being out for a while. They need to know that they do have a safety net. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Creating Personal Support Systems

Hi LeeAnne, Knowing that you are there to help them be successful is so important. This way they know that they can come to you with questions about their work and course progress and you will provide them with counsel about how they are doing. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Making a Positive First Impression

Hi Anne, Right you are. The positive first impression sets the tone for the upcoming class sessions. The positive first impression also helps to get the students comfortable and settled into the course. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Reinforcement as Motivation

Hi Norman, Thank you for your comments about how to provide positive and supportive input to students. As you mentioned this is so important because this is how instructors are going to be able to keep the students focused and engaged throughout the course. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Effective Motivation Techniques

Hi Tamara, Good point about the need for clear and specific directions. Students should not spend time wondering what the instructor wants. They should have a clear idea and then progress to completing the assignment. Otherwise they are going to spend time trying to figure out what is required and this will increase their frustration levels. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Your Instructional Style

Hi Ben, Good point in terms of how to use survey information. The information gained from them help you to set parameters in which you will operate for that class. This way you can read the students and adjust your instruction to dynamics that are being displayed. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Reasons for Enrolling

Hi Kristen, Connecting the dots for students is so important. You are do that with your incorporation of specific examples related to the course content. These examples help them to see relevance and application to what they are studying. Gary

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