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

Instructor Enthusiasm

Paul, Like your "Come and join me in Learning" statement. This is what being in class should be about. A lot of college students pay tuition and come to college and once there dare any instructor to teach them anything. They need to realize that college is not high school and it is not compulsory. They are there because they have chosen to be and the course they are enrolled in is required because it helps them move closer to their career goals. If they get that message into their heads they then can enjoy the passion of their instructor… >>>

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Instructor Enthusiasm

Julia, You are right about passion and enthusiasm. They both need to be present in the delivery of content by an instructor. Can't imagine teaching with out them because if they are not present then teaching is nothing more than just reading some information out of a book. Gary Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Understanding Learner Characteristics

MALCOLM, I have had this experience as well with some of the courses I have taught. Always a challenge to get everyone involved in contributing to the class. Your area is a tough one because of the mental math block that some many adults come into class with. I am sure you have some activities laid out for your students that provide them foundational information as well as lets them interact with the students that further along in their working knowledge of Algebra. Gary Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Feeling Accepted Helps with Success

Joanne, This is the human factor in education and it needs to be a part of our interaction with students. This way they see you as a model of their field as well as a learning leader. Gary Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Preparing and Delivering Effective Lectures

David, Right you are. You need to have the total package so you show your students that you are prepared and that you are reinforcing everything you say through a number of different venues such as lecture, media, discussions, etc.. Gary Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Making a Positive First Impression

Misty, I get butterflies when starting a new class and I have been teaching for many years. I think having a bit of the "nerves" when starting a new class is a good thing because it says that we still care and want to make a good first impression. By having the students to do introductions and then work through an ice breaker everyone can settled down and start to feel a part of the learning community within that class. Then it is a building process that will keep the students focused throughout the duration of the course. Gary Gary… >>>

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Accommodating Learner Preferences

Sara, Thank you for sharing this information with us because we can use the same approach in working with our adult students. We need to use all the resources we can identify to maximize the learning of our students and fellow students are one of those resources. Gary Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Accommodating Learner Preferences

Kimberly, Nice blend so that each student has an opportunity to use their learning preference to acquire the needed knowledge and skills. Gary Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Strategies for Increasing Student Motivation

Sara, Students really like to be complimented when they do a good job. The more opportunities we can provide them to receive praise the better because it helps them to understand when you have to talk to them about areas of needed improvement. Gary Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Making a Positive First Impression

Teresa, Right you are about the need for a positive first impression. As the learning leader of the class if you cannot create a feeling among students that this is going to be an informative learning experience then it is going to be tough to get them engaged. Gary Gary Meers, Ed.D.

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