Truthfully I haven't used guest speakers alot in the past, but I am looking into establishing quest speakers visits on a regular basis. A number of my associates utilize this technique and it's about time I joined in the fun ;)-
My instructor nad I were just recently planning a field trip for our drafting classes. We have found the fields trips so valueable for our students' training. A majority of our students have been on construction sites before and for the students that haven't it a priceless teaching tool. . . mjm
Hi Jennifer:
Field trips and guest speakers are a great way to renew interest in the material you’ve been discussing in class. It gives the student’s a chance to speak with people (possibly in the field they are training for), and gain a different and new perspective about the topics at hand.
Also, they might get the chance to ask some questions about the topics you’ve discussed and get a better understanding overall.
Regards, Barry
Hi Khristina:
Field trips and guest speakers are a great way to renew interest in the material you’ve been discussing in class. It gives the student’s a chance to speak with people (possibly in the field they are training for), and gain a different and new perspective about the topics at hand.
Also, they might get the chance to ask some questions about the topics you’ve discussed and get a better understanding overall.
Regards, Barry
I teach a Career Development class. The purpose of the class is to prepare students for the job search they have at the end of their college careers. I invite area business leaders and HR personnel in as guest speakers for a number of reasons: 1) to reaffirm course content 2) to give the students an opportunity to network with area professionals 3) to give students tips and insights into applying for positions with major employers in the area and 4) to boost students' confidence in the fact that they can succeed at their job search. The students respond positively to the speakers and welcome the opportunity to make a professional connection in the business world they will soon enter.
I teach courses in Medical Assisting and still work in the field. I am working on an agreement with my employer to allow my students to shadow me from time to time to see things in action.
The boredom of the classroom may lead some students to lose interest in a particular subject. This is especially true of difficult subjects, but it can happen with pretty much anything. Also, new environments can provide challenges that allow for more individual learning, while classroom teaching is often generalized and many times targeted to the slowest learners in the group. During field trips, students have a chance to go the extra step and take on as much information as they want and can.
Field trips are a great way to break out of a rut, end a boring subject or bring life into something that seems particularly difficult. It also gives students a chance to get to know each other and interact in a more relaxed environment, without the pressure of grades or the constraints of classrooms and grades.
Field trips are a great way to cement difficult information. Historical facts, biology knowledge or even physics and chemistry can be experienced first-hand during a field trip. Experts believe there are different methods of learning, including visual, auditory and tactile. Students who learn better through tact (known as kinesthethic learning) will greatly benefit from field trips, where the senses come into play a lot more than they would ever do in a classroom.
I feel the benefits students get from taking field trips and listening to guest speakers is that they have the opportunity to get a sense of what they are actually going to do visually and directly from someone who is out in the field right now. We as instructors can provide all the necessary information and training but when they see it coming from someone else it can be a different learning experience. I think this tool is very important and everyone should try it. See how students look forward to the interaction with real life scenarios.
It's good to show the students what life is like on the outside when they finish their education. It's a wonderful incentive for them
I like to have a guest speaker in every class that I teach. Sometimes it is hard depending on the subject matter. The guest speaker puts a spin on the class (if they are good) and they add things that I did not know. I had a sales rep come and talk about fluoride and teeth bleaching and she gave out free samples to the students and who does not love free samples! Her lecture was a hit even before they knew about the samples.
Another benefit of taking a field trip to visit a potential job site is the students know better what to expect when they are interviewed for that potential job.
In my own experience, I was encouraged to become a storyteller after hearing a storyteller who was pretty good. However, when I heard an excellent storyteller, I was discouraged that I would never be as good as he was. I don't know if that would work against guest speakers in various fields or not.
Hi Charlotte:
Field trips and guest speakers are a great way to renew interest in the material you’ve been discussing in class. It gives the student’s a chance to speak with people (possibly in the field they are training for), and gain a different and new perspective about the topics at hand.
Also, they might get the chance to ask some questions about the topics you’ve discussed and get a better understanding overall.
Regards, Barry
Hi Robert:
Field trips and guest speakers are a great way to renew interest in the material you’ve been discussing in class. It gives the student’s a chance to speak with people (possibly in the field they are training for), and gain a different and new perspective about the topics at hand.
Also, they might get the chance to ask some questions about the topics you’ve discussed and get a better understanding overall.
Regards, Barry
Hi Paul:
Field trips and guest speakers are a great way to renew interest in the material you’ve been discussing in class. It gives the student’s a chance to speak with people (possibly in the field they are training for), and gain a different and new perspective about the topics at hand.
Also, they might get the chance to ask some questions about the topics you’ve discussed and get a better understanding overall.
Regards, Barry
I've found that guest speakers give the instructor credibility for what they convey to
students in the classroom. The speaker allows the students to take what they've learned from the instructor and hear it expressed by a professional in the field. It's an Ah-Ha moment for students!
Students who participate in field trips have the ability to be exposed to the 3-D effect. They can see, touch and hear what is going on around them. They can acknowledge that which was said in the classroom setting to what is going on around them. It is definitely an invaluable contribution to learner based instruction. Guest speakers are also welcoming. The students will have a chance to hear and ask someone else, other than the instructor, about the relevant material. It's also a good opportunity to observe students and get feedback when a guest speaker is part of the lesson plan.
I was teaching a class to two students who were graduating at the end of the term. I had had those students before, and I knew that they were very experienced with all the mechanics covered in my course, so I felt the only real contribution I could make to their education was to accompany them to networking opportunities. Together we attended a luncheon and a dinner that provided us with opportunities to meet people who worked in the field they were hoping to enter, and to meet people in a position to hire them in that field as well. They were excited to be able to network and felt more comfortable doing so with a mentor present.
one of the benifits to field trips is a simple state change. Our attention span can dwindle if we don't change the environment every now and again.
Hi Winnifred:
Field trips and guest speakers are a great way to renew interest in the material you’ve been discussing in class. It gives the student’s a chance to speak with people (possibly in the field they are training for), and gain a different and new perspective about the topics at hand.
Also, they might get the chance to ask some questions about the topics you’ve discussed and get a better understanding overall.
Regards, Barry
