The main benefit I experienced from hosting guest speakers in my class was their depth of knowledge. While I was confident in the level of experience I was bringing the students over the broader expanse of the field, I found that bringing in specialists from different areas created new learning opportunities for both the students and - I'm not ashamed to say - to myself.
The only caution I would offer based on my experiences would be to make sure you have a clear picture of what your guest speaker will be discussing. I once brought a speaker in who, though he was extremely talented in the field, was not a sound speaker. He presented far too much information, was not organized or clear in doing so, and created misunderstandings that I spent much time throughout the semester attempting to repair. -- On the other hand, I found that all speakers whom I had brief "planning meetings" with before their guest appearance were far more useful in educating the students.
Hi Galit:
Yes, exciting and motivating. Many students get a real boost in their thinking about the career they've chosen. This is a great outcome for this activity.
Regards, Barry
Hi Dr. A:
I bet that discussion forum is buzzing when students begin to dialog regarding sharing their stories of the worl environment they're being trained for.
Regards, Barry
During a field trip students get expose to "real life" hands on regarding their future profession. It is very exciting and motivating.
Guest speaker can answer questions regarding working in the field and real life situations from work
The field trips relate to the "real" world,and they help the students to expand their knowledge with real world application.
Guest speakers give students a feel for real world application of a topic. In the online environment, this really gets my students excited, because they get to discuss real world scenarios with the guest. I also take my students on online fieldtrips, where we visit websites of companies to get a feel of how they operate.
Hi Peter:
I agree. The value of outside field trips or guest speakers provides a unique type of learning experience really unparalled by any other. These can relatively informal, or very structured. Either extreme, the students enjoy and find them quite memorable.
Regards, Barry
Hi Winston:
I agree the value of these activities are quite helpful. Even though I can't seem to arrange these for every class session, I've learned who is generally receptive when I contact them, and what sites are reliable when it fits my schedule. I think these become memorable because it's someting different and oftentime sparks the interest of students who are given a glimpse of what may be for them as graduates.
Regards, Barry
Hi Kenneth:
Yes, not all guests are necessarily the best speakers. But there's no doubting they have valuable work experience that may interest students and spark their curiosity about a specific profession. In fact, some of your smarter students may actually be inspired seeing a less polished individual who's achieved succes in their profession. I do know students like field trips and guest, because it breaks up the routine.
Regards, Barry
For all our lectures, labs, discussion groups and "hands-on" activities, classroom
learning experiences are relatively isolated and insulated proceedings. The well-planned field trip takes the student out into the real world.
Just so, the well-prepared guest speaker brings the real world, and the professional's experience of that world, to the student.
Making field trips and guest speakers a part of instructions is very valuable. Field trips emphasize the reality of the material presented. It gives students a tangible point of reference for the information they have been instructed on. Guest speakers offer the same kind of reality. If the guest speaker is a subject matter expert with current credentials in the topic the impact on student learning could be immense. This combination can be an effective way to generate student interest and enhance student learning.
Field trips offer students a glimpse of the career field they may be interested in pursuing and the opportunity to engage and learn from those who are doing. To add to the experience completing a worksheet helps meet the objectives of the field trip by focusing students to look into areas they may not be aware of.
In our efforts, we use many guest speakers who are recognized subject matter experts. We work to provide them a list of students to include background, military rank, and service and a list of objectives for their instruction period. However, not all guest speakers are able to deliver in the classroom....they have a great background and are recognized SME's but unable to put it all together in an organized presentation.
Hi Deborah:
Right. A vision of their potential future!
Regards, Barry
They become excited about seeing themselves in a similar employment situation after graduation.
Hi Laura:
You're right, broadening the experience by bringing the work environment to the classroom or taking the students to the worksite is invaluable. I think students tend to remember these kind of experiences more so than the same material presented by the resident instructor. Maybe it's the variety, or the perceived value by the presenter - I just know these are memorable teaching moments.
Regards, Barry
Application, application, application. I like field trips and guest speakers because they help answer the million dollar question: What's in it for me? Aside from bringing variety to the classroom, field trips and guest speakers broaden the experience base provided by the instructor and give the students an opportunity to learn from others who have put theory to practice.
Hi Ellen:
Although these activities take extra time to plan and even more to conduct, they can be quite memorable for the students. In discussions about transferring information from short term to long term memory, a field trip or guest speaker readily contributes to long term memory recall.
Regards, Barry
Field Trips and guest speakers are awesome and I will adjust my schedule anytime to fit in these valuable learning tools. Field trips to actual facilities in the community bring realism to classroom theory. Students see first hand what will be expected of them in the workforce. Guest speakers can reinforce what the instructor has been discussing while bringing their own passion about their career field.
I would like to implement field trips for my students. However my class is scheduled 6 pm-10pm and this poses a problem for many of my students, due to child care and transportation. Any suggestions?
I believe that if students can see the actual work that they will be doing, and understand the importance of the job, they will take it more seriously
