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

George, It is the foundation upon which the rest of the course is founded so it needs to be a good one so everyone involved will look forward to future class sessions. Gary Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

The Learning Environment Effect

Francine, Good points about the value of having a supportive environment that will enable students to focus on their learning and not be distracted by the environment. This keeps them engaged and forward focused. Gary Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Instructor Enthusiasm

Michael, Passion for one's field and enthusiasm for teaching about it are two essential elements needed for teaching/learning success. As you know from your experience when both of these are present then excitement follows with the students. They enjoy being around a learning leader that cares them and how they are growing in their knowledge and skills. Gary Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Reasons for Enrolling

Michael, Great example, thank you for sharing it with us. This is what instructional improvement should be about. You sought input and then made changes that came out of what you learned. I commend you for this effort and know your students appreciate your willingness to be open in this way. Gary Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Offering Varied Instructional Delivery

Francine, Well done in terms of using one of the most powerful learning tools available--repetition. By varying the way you use repetition you are able to get the needed information stored in the brains of your students for later use. You are right the way to learn a skill is to practice it over and over. Gary Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Making Your Expectations Clear

Francine, Like your style in terms of showing your students that they must earn their grades, they are not gifted. By laying everything out for them you are helping them get settled into the course and preparing them for what they have to do to be successful. Then it is up to them to fulfill the course requirements and earn the grade they want. Gary Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Your Instructional Style

Kenneth, What I have done is to create a number of memory triggers for myself when it comes to remembering lists of essential items in my field. I have used mental loci learning where I go into my classroom/lab and mentally post on the wall the list of items I need to remember. When I am in class with my students I have found that if I glance up at the wall where the mental poster was I can recall the list. It is association between the list, the wall and my memory. I have done the same thing with… >>>

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Expanding Your Instructional Abilities

Francine, This is what being a master teacher is all about. Striving to find a way to connect the content to the student in a way that enables him or her to understand and internalize the needed information. I commend you for your effort and the impact you are having on the lives of your students. Gary Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Effective Motivation Techniques

Jacqueline, I congratulate you for how you set the stage for learning with your students. You bring your passion for your field to the classroom and then share your enthusiasm for teaching about it with your students. This generates their excitement and they become a part of the total learning process. Gary Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Discussion Comment

Understanding Learner Characteristics

Michael, It is amazing how little things like this can be so important in keeping adult students in the class and feeling like they can be successful in their learning. Using their life experiences as a part of the instructional process helps them to see they have something to contribute and this helps them to feel confident in their knowledge acquisition. Gary Gary Meers, Ed.D.

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