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

Making a Positive First Impression

Donna, It is so much better to build upward and onward than digging out of a hole. You make a good point about how long first impressions last. We need to make the first impression a good one each time we start a new class. Gary Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

The Learning Environment Effect

Jo, Concrete items like the old code books really help to illustrate the value of the content you are teaching. It shows your students that their field is in constant movement and they are going to have to work to stay up to date or they will find themselves no longer competitive for employment. Gary Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Your Instructional Style

Jo, We must continue to grow in our knowledge and expertise no matter how long we have been teaching. This is what professional development is all about. Gary Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Motivating Learners

Karen, I think this is such an important part of being an effective instructor. You are using their backgrounds and experienced to support the learning process. This helps them to become invested in the learning process and see the value of making contributions. Gary Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Using Graphic Organizers

Dennis, This is a great example of the value of using graphic organizers. This helps students to see sequence, flow and impact of an entire system as well as how each part contributes to success. Gary Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Using Graphic Organizers

LaToya, Yes, they do. They help students to see the content in sections as well as the whole. Graphic organizers help students from being overwhelmed with content throughout the course. Gary Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Making Instruction Relevant

LaToya, Relevancy and application are two words that need to come up frequently when teaching adults. Your point is a good one because adults are wanting to make sure that the content being offered has a connection to their future. They don't want to waste time. They want to make progress. Gary Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Teaching to Multiple Intelligences

LaToya, The more we know the more choices we have from which to offer instruction. This way we can customize our instruction for the current group of students and enhance their learning opportunities. Gary Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Effective Motivation Techniques

Lindsey, I agree with the need to let students bring in some of their own life experiences. By doing so you are letting them see the connection between their previous experiences and how they can help to enhance and shape their career development. Life is an ongoing growth opportunity so the more experiences all of us have the more opportunities we have to make the right decisions. Gary Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

The Human Factor in Retention

Lindsey, Great point for students to get. They need to understand the value of and impact that their social/human interaction with clients/customers has on their success. The word "service" needs to be defined and understood by each student because their ability to deliver good service will determine how successful they will be in their career. Gary Gary Meers, Ed.D.

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