Class Preparation

As Varvel and McNett (2001) share in the article below, the key to a good visit is preparation:

Before and During

• When you write to the guest speaker, explain the context so the speaker can best serve the class
• While the first contact confirms the guests availability, a second email or call allows for a visit about the arrangements that begin the preparations: Confirming dates, when the learners will post their initial questions, how the speaker would like to be introduced, how many times a day the visitor will be online, are good points to discuss. If the guest has sites or readings to be distributed, when those will be provided can be determined at this time.
• Let your chair know about your plans to invite the guest discussant--the chair can tell you how to get an honorarium processed for the speaker (currently available).
• If the guest person wants to have the class read something or look at a site, view it and distribute it with time for class prep.
• Check to see that the guest has been added to your class before the visit (A minimum of 3 days is probably a good idea).
• You may want to email the guest speaker with a reminder of the date and ask them to try his or her guest access. Provide a phone number and email contact with the message he or she can call or email if there are any problems getting into the discussion.

• Create an assignment where students prepare questions for the speaker. Have them post the questions the day(s) the speaker will be in the online discussion. You may also prepare quiz or exam items from the visit.
• Do know that the speaker may not answer all questions...

• Remind the class of the upcoming event, and as the session opens, introduce the guest in the discussion:
  Sample:
  For the next few days, guest discussant X is here with our class fro a discussion on the topic.
  She is here from Thursday and Friday, July 15, and 16th to answer your questions and discuss X. You may want to check in more than once per day to watch the exchanges develop in our time together online.
• Please say hello to X: Give background which establishes expertise and generates interest.
• Lets welcome X, and here's to a great exchange.

After
At the end of the visit, thank the speaker on and off-line:
While a gracious thank-you is a great way to bring closure to the online discussion, a guest discussants may prefer a hard-copy letter on your college stationary for their professional portfolios:

SAMPLE: Dear--, You certainly added a great deal to the ENG 121 discussions about the elements that make narratives work well. Since learners are very familiar with narrative, it is a great place to discuss familiar structures, then discuss how those structure translate from spoken to written forms.

It was great having you in the discussion-your friendly tone encouraged the learners to interact with you, and your follow-up questioning techniques were a skillful way to re-engage the participants and move the discussion to a deeper level.

I also appreciate that you volunteered a listing for our internal Virtual Speaker Bureau at CCCOnline. Thank you, once again, for your part in bringing the online learning community forward through such instructional possibilities.

• Have students provide feedback on the value of the speaker.
• Writing a  thank-you note to the speaker is always a nice touch.

References:

Baron, L. (2004). Effective use of guest teachers. Retrieved on June 28, 2004, from
http://tlc.unlv.edu/articles/CourseManagement/tlc_effectiveuseofguestteachers.html.

Varvel, Virgil E., Jr. and Mike McNett. Guest lecturers in the online environment.
Illinois Online Network: July/August 2001. Retrieved July 1, 2004, from http://illinois.online.uillinois.edu/pointers/2001_07.

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