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

Effective Motivation Techniques

Ed, Two great questions to get students contributing to the discussion because in almost every class there will at least one student that has such an experience or knows something about the topic. Thanks for sharing this strategy. Gary Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Effective Motivation Techniques

Jeffrey, Like this method because of the way you personalize this for them. You are connecting the dots between classroom and real life. Gary Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Valuing Student Opinions

Jeffrey, This is a good point because it is easy for an instructor to turn away and sort through papers or pick up an object while a student is talking. This sends a clear message that what they say does not matter and before long they won't say anything at all. Gary Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

The Human Factor in Retention

Sheena, Right you are so we need to think about how we can project this to our students so the will know we care about them and their success. Gary Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Instructor Enthusiasm

Jeffrey, So true and so important if the instructor is going to connect with students. Passion for one's field and enthusiasm for teaching about it goes a long way in helping students to get excited and what is being taught. Thank you for making this good point. Gary Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Being Successful in College

Sheena, Good way to personalize your interaction with students and to show them that you are there to provide support as needed. This is how you earn their respect and develop rapport. Gary Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Being Successful in College

Jeffrey, You are providing a great service to your students with your explanation of what happens when you do not meet deadlines in the real world. Sometimes students think you set deadlines only to make life difficult for them, when in reality you are helping them acquire the self discipline needed for career success. Gary Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Using a Well-prepared Syllabus

Sarah, It really does by answering many of their questions and reducing their anxiety about course success. Then they can focus on meeting the course expectations because they know what they are. Gary Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Using a Well-prepared Syllabus

Stanley, It is the road map that the students will follow for course success. It needs to outline the expectations and requirements and when it does it answers many of the questions the students have so they can focus on creating a plan for success in the class. Gary Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Your Instructional Style

Sarah, This is why you need to break up the flow of instruction and do other activities such as role playing, case studies, small groups, etc.. This will enable the students to reset their brains and keep their focus for the duration of longer classes. Gary Gary Meers, Ed.D.

End of Content