Using Synchrony and Asynchrony to Support A Guest Speaker

Hosting a guest speaker is not only a great pedagogical tool; it’s also a vivid example of the ways one mode of interaction can enrich the other in a multimodal course. Guest speakers can participate in a class synchronously (e.g., by participating in a synchronous session via online conferencing tools or in person) and/or asynchronously (e.g., by recording video or participating in asynchronous discussion boards). Students find asynchronous guest speakers easier to access, while synchronous speakers offer more opportunities for back-and-forth interaction between students and the guest (Alebaikan, 2016).

Of course, one could facilitate a guest speaker either completely synchronously or completely asynchronously. However, each method is enriched by the other, allowing students to gain the most from the experience. As with content delivery and exams and quizzing, topics explored in two earlier Envision pieces, the learning experience of a guest speaker can be enhanced through attention to modality. In this piece, we’ll lay out ways to mix modalities to support both asynchronous and synchronous guest speakers. You don’t have to use all of these options, but incorporating one or two can help align synchronous and asynchronous components of your course in a way that strengthens both.

Asynchronous Guest Speakers
Asynchronous guest speakers can participate in a course via multiple methods: a video recorded in advance of the term, a video of the speaker answering student-provided questions, or a discussion board in which the speaker answers questions posed by students. A guest speaker in an asynchronous discussion can have a meaningful impact on student learning and participation, regardless of the amount of time or posts contributed by the speaker (Hemphill & Hemphill, 2007). The flexibility of methods available (as well as the flexibility of asynchrony itself) may allow speakers and students to participate who might otherwise be unable due to geographic or scheduling limitations (Alebaikan, 2016).

• Lead students in a discussion of questions they’d like the guest speaker to answer; if you’d like, you could provide their list to inform the speaker’s video or conversation.
• Annotate, view, or otherwise experience a sample of the guest speaker’s work or scholarship together.
• Consider transforming a synchronous conversation for you and the guest speaker into asynchronous content for students; for example, an interview podcast or video (Gallant, 2023).

• Have students identify or mind map key points from the conversation or lecture (consulting the video or transcript, discussion board, or informal notes, depending on the format of the speaker’s contributions) in groups or pairs, and encourage them to note points of connection with other course materials.
• If using the guest speaker to present a case study (i.e., describing a problem related to course content in a video or acting as a client when responding to posts in a discussion board), use synchronous time to have students formulate a plan to address or resolve the issue in groups.

Synchronous Guest Speakers
Synchronous guest speakers can also engage through multiple methods of delivery: an in-person lecture or conversation, a virtual meeting, or even a text-based live chat. If the guest speaker is participating synchronously, asynchrony can be used to provide guidance and scaffold the session as well as to capture and reflect on insights generated during the session (Mick & Middlebrook, 2015).

• Create a clear goal for the session (on your own or collaboratively with students) and share the goal with both students and guest speakers.
• Offer students tools to help them ask good questions. For example, Dalakas (2016) offered students a scale that shows letter grade scoring for different variations on the same basic query. These range from F (“Do you have a specific target market?”) to C (“I see from your website that you have picked [group x] as your target market; why?) to A (“I have read in your website that you use [marketing tactics a and b]. Therefore, it seems to me that you specifically try to cater to [group x]. In class we have discussed [risks y and z] when focusing on [group x]. What was your reasoning for targeting [group x] and how do you deal with [risks y and z]?”).
• Ensure that all parties have access to the resources they need to participate effectively. Consider providing guest speakers copies of the class syllabus and learning objectives; offer students context and background about the speaker and their role. Inform speakers and students of any information they may need about the technology that will be used for the session (Sage, 2013).
• Use discussions or assignments to have students submit questions or highlight experiences they’d like to hear about from the speaker ahead of time.

• Assign a low-stakes item related to the speaker’s visit. Students do not respond well to being quizzed or tested on content from guest speaker sessions (Ji et al., 2021); however, consider including a feedback survey or reflection exercise to help students more actively process the experience.
• Ask students to review a course reading or lecture through the perspective of the speaker, either looking back to previous modules or while moving through the rest of the course. How do they think the speaker would respond to the content presented?

References
Alebaikan, R. A. (2016). Online and face-to-face guest lectures: Graduate students’ perceptions. Learning and Teaching in Higher Education: Gulf Perspectives, 13(2), 53–65.

Dalakas, V. (2016). Turning guest speakers’ visits into active learning opportunities. Atlantic Marketing Journal, 5(2), 93–99.

Gallant, K. (2023). Creating conversational interview podcasts to replace guest lectures. SCHOLE: A Journal of Leisure Studies and Recreation Education, 38(2), 146–147.

Hemphill, L. S., & Hemphill, H. H. (2007). Evaluating the impact of guest speaker postings in online discussions. British Journal of Educational Technology, 38(2), 287–293.

Ji, H., Jain, P., & Axinn, C. (2021). Student perceptions of guest speakers in strategic communication courses. Journal of Public Relations Education, 7(1), 40–79.

Mick, C. S., & Middlebrook, G. (2015). Asynchronous and synchronous modalities. In B. L. Hewett & K. E. DePew (Eds.), Foundational practices of online writing instruction (pp. 135–154). Parlor Press LLC.

Sage, M. (2013). Distance guest speakers in online synchronous classrooms: Practical and legal considerations. Journal of Teaching in Social Work, 33(4-5), 385–392.