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

Reinforcement as Motivation

Wendy, I use games a lot in my classes as well and my students love playing them. I tell my students that adults are just taller children. Playing Jeopardy and Family Feud really get my students ramped up and competitive. The results of playing these games pays off with good scores on the tests. Gary Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Application of New Knowledge

Wendy, Repetition is a powerful learning tool and you are using it in a variety of ways. I am sure your students develop a lot of confidence in what they are learning as a result of the different activities you have them work through. Keep up the good work. Gary Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Creating Personal Support Systems

Michael, I think sessions like this are very informative for students. They get to share their knowledge while learning from others. In addition everyone can participate in the process and that helps each student to grow in their confidence. Gary Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Strategies for Increasing Student Motivation

Dawn, You make a very good point about the need to be supportive in providing feedback. By doing so the students will stay engaged while learning how to improve their performance and/or skills. Learning is a growth process and so we all need to have support as we grow, be we students or instructors. Gary Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Using a Well-prepared Syllabus

Richard, Standardized syllabi is common with a lot of career colleges. When faced with a standardized syllabus an instructor needs to be able to personalize the content and delivery in a way that makes the course his/hers. I prepared a supplemental handout that expands on the standardized syllabus so I can be sure to get across to my students how I am going to conduct the class and what my expectations are for them. Gary Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Developing Clear Goals and Objectives

Donald, I think this is important part of instructional planning. By adjusting your lesson plans to meet the current group of students you are customizing your delivery to make sure you are engaging your students in a way that maintains their interest and helps them move toward their career goals. Gary Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Developing Analytical Skills

Susana, Such important steps for the students to complete if they are going to continue to develop as problem solvers and reflective thinkers. Gary Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Developing Analytical Skills

John, Good concrete examples that help to refine the taste buds of your students so they will be able to prepare dishes with both flavor and color. These foundational skills will remain with them for the duration of their careers so they need to make sure they have a clear understanding of how each element contributes to the final product. Gary Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Using Reflective Thinking

John, I agree with your assumption about the how reflective thinking gets better and quicker as one gains experience. The ability to quickly work through a situation is what will enable a chef to rise to the top of his or her profession. Gary Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Reasoning as a Resource

Susana, Good point and one that students need to understand as the problem solve. Gary Gary Meers, Ed.D.

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