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

The Human Factor in Retention

Mary, This is a fun part of being an instructor. Getting to be creative in how you set up a class and lead students to the next one is a reward of teaching. Once you have done this you will have them looking forward to coming to class and be excited about what is going to be covered. A win win situation for everyone. Gary Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Re: Effective Retention Strategies

Viviana, What a great teaching environment you have. It is so exciting when you have learners like you have and as their learning leader you get to experience their growth and enthusiasm for what they are studying. Gary Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Reasons for Enrolling

Travia, This is so important because as you say it gives you an understanding about the student. The more we know about our students the more accurately we can provide support to them and move them toward career success. Gary Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Being Successful in College

Viviana, Thank you for sharing this story with us. I love hearing these stories because they encourage all of us instructors and reinforce why we do what we are doing. We do impact the lives of our students and this case with your encouragement your impact and her effort resulted in an A and a very happy student. Gary Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Being Successful in College

Mary, Good way to reinforce your students. A few words of encouragement can go a long way in getting students settled into a course and building their confidence. Adult students especially need reinforcement as they start their college career since they have been out of school so long and are uncertain if they can make it in their studies. Gary Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Preparing and Delivering Effective Lectures

Erwin, I think you are doing a good job with the approach that you are using. I use case studies with my classes to get my students to see the relevance of what is being taught and to make application of the skills they are developing. If your subject matter lends itself to case studies you might want to consider using them. You can put your students into small groups of 3-4 students and have them work on the case studies and then have a class discussion on how they would resolve the problem presented in the study. The case… >>>

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Making Your Expectations Clear

Katie, Thank you for reinforcing the value of using a check list. With all of the demands that are placed on instructors it is easy to forget to do something or follow up with a student. A check list helps to keep us on target and moving the course forward. Gary Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Offering Varied Instructional Delivery

Pandora, Your last sentence is what all instructors need to do if they are going to keep their students engaged. Targeting instruction is a must as each class changes in dynamics and needs. Thank you for making this good point. Gary Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Strategies for Increasing Student Motivation

Mary, I am a big supporter of guest speakers and field trips. Both help make the content come alive and increase the motivation level of students. They help them see where they can go with their careers if they will invest the work that is needed for success. Gary Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Making Your Expectations Clear

Erwin, Your approach is a good one because you are letting your students know exactly what they can expect. You might want to create a game type review for your students. I use a Jeopardy format and my students really get into the review while playing the game. Also, since it is a game format they don't get as up tight about the review because they want to win points for their team and as a result they surprised themselves at how much they really know. Gary Gary Meers, Ed.D.

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