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

Motivating Learners

Hi Julie, These are great ideas and will really help to keep the students engaged in the course. They will see application and relevancy to what they are learning. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Making a Positive First Impression

Hi David, You are so right. We instructors cannot forget this fact. From day one we set the tone for the class and as we all know it is so much easier to build on a positive first impression rather than trying to correct a negative one throughout the class. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

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Instructor Enthusiasm

Hi All, It is fun to teach when you are excited about what you are teaching. There have been some great comments about the need for excitement in the classroom which leads to enthusiasm on the part of students. What are some of the strategies you use to convey your excitement about what you are teaching? Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

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Effective Retention Strategies

Hi Ryan, Good point about the personal contact. This is what increases retention because the students know they have an instructor that cares about their success. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

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Making Your Expectations Clear

Hi Heather, Right you are. It is good to recognize this early in your teaching career as this will help you to avoid many stressful situations that can occur if the students feel they can take advantage of you. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

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Valuing Student Opinions

Hi Kellie, Paraphrasing does work very well because you are establishing an understanding and communication level the students as you talk with them. Your shy students generally won't mind working through this format. Something I do with my shy students is to put everyone in learning groups of 3-4 students making sure to have a good mix of talkers and non-talkers. I have them discuss the topic and then have them each take a turn in paraphrasing what has been discussed in the full class setting. This really helps to get them involved without undue pressure. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

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Strategies for Increasing Student Motivation

Hi Heather, Good strategy to use with your students. You are "flagging" key content so they students will focus on it when they study for exams and their board exams. By having a number of those key flagged items each day the students will progressively gain the required knowledge without feeling overwhelmed. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

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Accommodating Learner Preferences

Hi Don, Great to hear. Sounds like you are having good success with your online classes. Keep up the good work. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

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The Learning Environment Effect

Hi Don, Great point. Where I teach I can't do anything about the physical environment but I can do what you mentioned--reflect and focus on professionalism. I work hard with my students in the soft skills of career development like being on time, there everyday, getting along with others, etc. These are the make or break factors of career success in combination with the knowledge and skills they acquire. Gary

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Using a Well-prepared Syllabus

Hi Scot, Thanks for the heads up on how to prepare a syllabus. There has to be some flexibility built in or one little change in the class flow and you will be off course for the duration. By having a well prepared syllabus outlining the requirements, policies and assignments for the course you will have answered most of the questions raised by students. You can share specifics with them in relation to times and dates with an addendum if needed. Gary

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