Pitching the Profession: Faculty Guest Speakers in the Classroom

• Published in: Teaching sociology Vol. 26; no. 3; pp. 157 - 165
• Main Author: Mooney, Linda A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Beverly Hills American Sociological Association 01.07.1998
• Subjects: Academically Gifted; Applied sociology; Careers; Class size; Classrooms; College faculty; College instruction; College professors; College students; Colleges & universities; Computer Uses in Education; Control groups; Course Content; Course Selection (Students); Declining Enrollment; Definitions; Discipline; Education; Educational research; Elementary school students; Guest Speakers; High school students; Higher Education; Introductory Courses; Majors (Students); Occupations; Outcomes of Education; Perceptions; Relevance (Education); Research Design; Role; Social research; Social Science Research; Social Scientists; Sociology; Sociology Education; Speakers; Specialists; Strategic management; Student Attitudes; Student Motivation; Student Recruitment; Student Satisfaction; Teachers; Teaching; Teaching Methods; Undergraduate Students; Undergraduate Study; Universities; USA; Variables
• ISSN: 0092-055X; 1939-862X
• DOI: 10.2307/1318829

Using an experimental design, the present study examines the impact of faculty guest speakers on introductory sociology students': (1) certainty of registering for another sociology course, majoring in sociology, or minoring in sociology, (2) interest in taking another sociology class, and (3) perception of sociology as applicable to their lives, to their careers, and as a valued course of study. The results indicate that the experimental manipulation had very little impact on the seven dependent variables, leading to a discussion of the role and content of the introductory course and some suggestions for enhancing student recruitment efforts.