Comments on: Humor in the Classroom: 40 Years of Research http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/effective-teaching-strategies/humor-in-the-classroom-40-years-of-research/ Faculty Focus publishes articles on effective teaching strategies for the college classroom, both face-to-face and online. Sign-up for our free newsletter. Thu, 23 May 2013 21:44:58 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4 By: Gail Hussey http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/effective-teaching-strategies/humor-in-the-classroom-40-years-of-research/#comment-9726 Gail Hussey Mon, 18 Mar 2013 11:45:06 +0000 http://www.facultyfocus.com/?p=38027#comment-9726 Agree Corinne. Humor = Human Agree Corinne. Humor = Human

]]> By: Corinne http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/effective-teaching-strategies/humor-in-the-classroom-40-years-of-research/#comment-9294 Corinne Fri, 22 Feb 2013 18:16:36 +0000 http://www.facultyfocus.com/?p=38027#comment-9294 Responding to Danny, I think writing is something so incredibly personal to students that they can feel quite vulnerable in a course devoted to improving their skills. Anything we can do that acts as an equalizer, shows that vulnerability is universal, and that makes a safe space for the students HAS to help. Responding to Danny, I think writing is something so incredibly personal to students that they can feel quite vulnerable in a course devoted to improving their skills. Anything we can do that acts as an equalizer, shows that vulnerability is universal, and that makes a safe space for the students HAS to help.

]]> By: Melissa Hudler http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/effective-teaching-strategies/humor-in-the-classroom-40-years-of-research/#comment-8965 Melissa Hudler Mon, 04 Feb 2013 20:46:38 +0000 http://www.facultyfocus.com/?p=38027#comment-8965 Hi Erika, I came across the study by chance and don't remember the source. The professor who conducted the experiment (a psychology professor) began one of his classes each day with a short, humorous video clip (a stand-up act or bit from a movie). He taught the other class without this humorous opening. Both were the same psychology class. By the end of the semester, the professor saw a clear distinction between the classes in student participation and level of learning, as shown in test and course grades. The class that received the humor had a higher level of participation and better grades. I spent some time online trying to locate the study for you but with no luck--sorry. The clip that I used is by Mitch Hedberg: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6xaj2fC1jI" rel="nofollow">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6xaj2fC1jI</a> It's relatively clean--one, maybe two, instances of mild profanity--what you hear walking across campus every day! Hi Erika,

I came across the study by chance and don't remember the source. The professor who conducted the experiment (a psychology professor) began one of his classes each day with a short, humorous video clip (a stand-up act or bit from a movie). He taught the other class without this humorous opening. Both were the same psychology class. By the end of the semester, the professor saw a clear distinction between the classes in student participation and level of learning, as shown in test and course grades. The class that received the humor had a higher level of participation and better grades. I spent some time online trying to locate the study for you but with no luck–sorry. The clip that I used is by Mitch Hedberg: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6xaj2fC1jI It's relatively clean–one, maybe two, instances of mild profanity–what you hear walking across campus every day!

]]> By: Danny Anderson http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/effective-teaching-strategies/humor-in-the-classroom-40-years-of-research/#comment-8944 Danny Anderson Sun, 03 Feb 2013 16:39:48 +0000 http://www.facultyfocus.com/?p=38027#comment-8944 This is very helpful to me. I sometimes wonder if I use humor too much in class. When I teach freshman comp, for example, I wonder I don't over-compensate for a potential dryness in the material by being a huckster. I tend to think no, as by the end of the semester, I can see a vast growth in the quality of my students' writing. I have always thought that my joking (very often about myself) encourages a kind of classroom relationship with my students that helps them engage in what we're doing and take a some ownership of their studies. I think that, particularly in what I teach (English), simple "information transmission" kind of defeats the purpose of engaged abstract thinking. Humor is a way I try to encourage that engagement and this article offers some excellent advice about how much (and what kind!) is too much. Thanks so much! This is very helpful to me. I sometimes wonder if I use humor too much in class. When I teach freshman comp, for example, I wonder I don't over-compensate for a potential dryness in the material by being a huckster. I tend to think no, as by the end of the semester, I can see a vast growth in the quality of my students' writing. I have always thought that my joking (very often about myself) encourages a kind of classroom relationship with my students that helps them engage in what we're doing and take a some ownership of their studies. I think that, particularly in what I teach (English), simple "information transmission" kind of defeats the purpose of engaged abstract thinking. Humor is a way I try to encourage that engagement and this article offers some excellent advice about how much (and what kind!) is too much. Thanks so much!

]]> By: Dlp http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/effective-teaching-strategies/humor-in-the-classroom-40-years-of-research/#comment-8928 Dlp Sat, 02 Feb 2013 18:04:12 +0000 http://www.facultyfocus.com/?p=38027#comment-8928 search Tim Hawkins comedy search Tim Hawkins comedy

]]> By: Erika H. Elliott http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/effective-teaching-strategies/humor-in-the-classroom-40-years-of-research/#comment-8917 Erika H. Elliott Sat, 02 Feb 2013 05:22:11 +0000 http://www.facultyfocus.com/?p=38027#comment-8917 Hi, I would like to know more about that study that you were reading as well as the video clips. That all sounds very interesting. I like to be humorous in my classes and so far it has worked well and I can establish a relaxed atmosphere. Hi, I would like to know more about that study that you were reading as well as the video clips. That all sounds very interesting. I like to be humorous in my classes and so far it has worked well and I can establish a relaxed atmosphere.

]]> By: Melissa Hudler http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/effective-teaching-strategies/humor-in-the-classroom-40-years-of-research/#comment-8915 Melissa Hudler Fri, 01 Feb 2013 21:41:30 +0000 http://www.facultyfocus.com/?p=38027#comment-8915 I read a study on using humor in the classroom, so I found a clean 3-minute video of a comedian to start class with. This was not an easy task! The study I read focused on showing humorous content at the beginning of each class to relax students and to put them in a positive frame of mind. The professor who conducted this study noticed an increase in student participation and grades in the class who watched the videos compared to the class (on the same subject) that did not. Unfortunately, I came across this study at the end of the semester and thus had only one class meeting to try this in. The day that I showed the clip, I noticed a more engaged class and a livelier discussion. Best of all, a student who had not talked in class all semester (voluntarily anyway) contributed voluntarily for the first time. Maybe this change could be chalked up to coincidence or end-of-semester excitement, but I like to think that the humorous start had some level of impact. I read a study on using humor in the classroom, so I found a clean 3-minute video of a comedian to start class with. This was not an easy task! The study I read focused on showing humorous content at the beginning of each class to relax students and to put them in a positive frame of mind. The professor who conducted this study noticed an increase in student participation and grades in the class who watched the videos compared to the class (on the same subject) that did not. Unfortunately, I came across this study at the end of the semester and thus had only one class meeting to try this in. The day that I showed the clip, I noticed a more engaged class and a livelier discussion. Best of all, a student who had not talked in class all semester (voluntarily anyway) contributed voluntarily for the first time. Maybe this change could be chalked up to coincidence or end-of-semester excitement, but I like to think that the humorous start had some level of impact.

]]>