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.

Activity

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Increasing Student Retention

N. Dianne, Good advice for instructors to follow, especially those that are just starting their teaching career. Earning the respect of students is based upon the connections you make with them and learning their names and something about them is a good starting point. Gary Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Understanding Learner Characteristics

Robert, Right you are because we can plan our instructional approach around their learning preferences. The result will be enhanced learning and greater satisfaction by students. Gary Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Making Your Expectations Clear

Ricky, I have found that using a handout upon which I put the specifics about projects, deadlines and grading really helps my students understand what the course expectations are. The syllabus spells out the major areas of the course, gives the goals and objectives as well as school policies. Sometimes with all this information the students get bogged down so I share the handout as a quick reference. Gary Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Making Your Expectations Clear

Kola, Like the way you use check points along the way with your students. This is keeps the student up to date and reminds them of upcoming deadlines. This is a service to them and helps them stay current with their efforts so they don't get too far behind with their work. Gary Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Making Your Expectations Clear

Kola, I use pretesting in my courses as well because I get from my students a baseline on their knowledge about what the course will cover. Covering your grading rubric is another good idea because it lets the students know what to expect as they complete their projects and assessments. Gary Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Making a Positive First Impression

Ricky, Right you are and this is why it is so important to plan an opening first session of a class that will get the students excited about the course to come. The first class meeting is the foundation upon which the rest of the course is built. Gary Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

The Learning Environment Effect

Kola, I think this is a great idea. By having them attend advisory meetings they get to met and listen to professionals from their field. This increases the value of the course content in their minds as well as gives them exposure to individuals that they might not encounter so early in their careers. Gary Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Motivating Learners

Lorraine, The more connections like this you can make the more value the students attach to the course. So keep up the good work of showing them the relevance of what you teach. Gary Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Adapting Your Instructional Strategy

Genaro, Listening is a powerful learning tool and you are using when you ask your students questions. By listening to their responses you can determine how they are doing in the course and what strategies you need to employ to enhance their opportunities for success. Gary Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Motivation Through Relevancy and Application

Damon, This is when it starts to get real for students. When you help them see relevance and application of content then you are connecting the dots for them to their coursework and their career development. Once they see this they really take off in their learning and professional development. Gary Gary Meers, Ed.D.

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