Guest Speakers in the Classroom: Student Perceptions of Expertise

Guest speakers are frequently used at the collegiate level and have clear benefits for students. However, little research has been conducted about the use of guest speakers in a high school social studies setting. The purpose of this study was to understand how participation in an expert guest speaker discussion influenced high school freshmen’s understanding of conflict in the Middle East as well as their perceptions of expertise. Data was collected through student artifacts, surveys, observations, and focus group interviews and analyzed using the constant comparative method as well as descriptive statistics. The major themes of improved knowledge, desired changes, passive lecture, and unique learning experience emerged.