How-to Spark Engagement: What’s So Funny?
by Eliscia Di Schiavi, Masters of Education Candidate, EDUC5303G (#techcurr)
Using Humour as part of the Instructional Delivery to Teach 21st Century Learners. . . even if you think you aren’t funny.
Hey 21st Century Educators, thanks for stopping in!
Let’s be real for a second. It’s nearly impossible to tune out something funny. When something makes you chuckle, it makes you want to keep on listening and watching. Why is that? Well, laughing is said to trigger the release of ‘feel goooooood endorphins’ which helps socially bond people to each other.
A few challenges to using humour is that it is not suitable for all instructional topics and may appear to be insensitive. The other problem may be. . . [insert comic relief here] ->you’re just not that funny (maybe just... funny looking...“Ha ha ha!!” LOL)…. just kidding!
Luckily, there are plenty of opportunities to apply humour to ensure it is welcomed and appreciated. That's why the purpose of this blog is to rant a bit about the advantages of embedding humour into instructional design. So, shall we go ahead and explore the power of a giggle?
Humour pronounced [ hyoo-mer ] is . . .
A physical expression that occurs as a result of a stimulus to the mind. That stimulus can be achieved when one reacts to someone's sense of humour, to giving or receiving love, or just by feeling good. It can be identified through non-verbal gestures in the form of a smile or verbal gestures in the form of laughter.
Humour and Laughter is Meaningful
Being a successful educator may at times involve being a . . . performer.
Your content must do more than just educate. It must seek to entertain and motivate. While using humour is not the only way to engage students, it certainly is effective. And. . . if you cannot entertain while you facilitate, your learners will likely just go online and find a YouTuber who can. So you’re not a naturally born actor? Darn, I can’t relate. But, believe me, your fine.
Here are a few things you can do. . . .
Don’t take things too seriously.
- Make a Beauty Mark a Mole
Exaggerate, will ya? This is about taking an idea that starts off as factual and magnifying it to the point where it’s absolutely absurd.
Sometimes going from “0 to 100….. real quick,” as millennials would say, using extreme examples in your lessons may elicit a half smile which may make a dry point of yours.. umm...memorable.
No guarantees.
In essence, this will allow for some of your feedback to really stick with your learners.
2. Poke Fun of Yourself
I like some ol’ self-deprecating humour, even though I am horrible at it. [See what I did there?]
When you are able to make fun of yourself, you go from being an educator to . . . an actual human being? Outstanding, isn’t it? As if you weren’t human to begin with...well, just to clarify, you are human right???
Doesn’t matter.
What really matters is that learners will connect with you, as well as with themselves, but please try not to act completely freaked out by the increased participation. This just means it's working.
But, remember to stop yourself from totally throwing your self-esteem into the trash can. You’re a professional and a role model (well, in your mind, after all)…. “What was that?” Oh, nothing. [Insert thought bubble here] -> oops...you weren’t supposed to hear that! How on earth do I disable this Google voice recognition app? Lol
3. Inform Students Not to Plagiarize, But D-I-Y
Let’s face it: your humour challenged aren’t you? Yikes. . . Well, than I guess you just gotta throw away the whole idea of practicing what you preach.
Wilson Mizner (1938) once said, “When you copy an idea of a writer, it's called plagiarism, when you copy the ideas of many people its called a PhD.”
Mmm...hmm… that’s right. You need to emulate the heck of someone who is just downright funny. No, this does not mean your grandma people. Her stories of you peeing your pants in sixth grade are only funny to her. Look at your Facebook, Twitter or Instagram feeds as its filled with a lot of funny stuff shared by other people. Thereafter, share those posts as icebreakers in your in class or e-learning environments. You can even bury some unexpected humour within your course syllabus or throughout assessments when learners least expect it. Many times I devised multiple choice tests with some pretty ridiculous choice answers that caused some great reactions from learners. Here is an example:
What is the name of the social learning theorist who came up with the observational learning theory?
- Ben and Jerry
- The Roadrunner
- Steven Spielberg
- Albert Bandura
Congrats, if you guessed “b” that was a hard one! The point of this is for your learners to ha...ha...ha . . . their way all the down those ridiculous choices which would assist them in retaining the information while at the same time being entertained; this is also a good way for learners to release some tension...so that the….ha..ha..ha…turns into a….. Aha moment! (Garner, 2006). Berk found that a student's most anxious time is usually prior to or during an exam, therefore, humorous directions or test items may relieve students' tension and help them perform better (Stambor, 2006).
Studies indicate, “Instructors use of humour was positively associated with students’ perceptions that the instructor had a positive attitude towards them and wanted them to succeed” while displaying, “a genuine concern for them” (Wilson & Taylor, 2001). For this reason, educators should take advantage of using humor when appropriate, as it is such a positive pedagogical tool for us to take out of our toolboxes and use in 21st century learning environments.
Humour is Brain Food
Using humour contributes to a rich learning experience and it is also important for brain development. When a person laughs, the blood flow increases to the brain “relieving fear and reducing anxiety" (Stambor, 2006). This is why people feel really good after a good laugh. Usually, one will feel energized and alert. Humor is actually proven to increase the brains receptivity to learning...so, go ahead will ya...tell a joke, a riddle, or bust your best move, as you will be contributing to the creation of an optimal climate for learning. Just don’t overdo it, this blog is a guide, we can't all be like Jerry Seinfeld and do it in one push.
References
Garner, R. L. (2006). Humor in Pedagogy: How Haha Can Lead to Aha!. College Teaching. Retrieved from: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.3200/CTCH.54.1.177-180
Wilson, M. (1938) Tales of a Wayward Inn. Retrieved from: https://quoteinvestigator.com/2010/09/20/plagiarism/
Stambor, Z. (2006) How Laughing leads to Learning. American Psychological Association, 37(7), 62. Retrieved from: https://www.apa.org/monitor/jun06/learning
Wilson, J. H., & Taylor, K. W. (2001). Professor immediacy as behaviors associated with liking students. Teaching of Psychology, 28, 136-138. Retrieved from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/232543449_Professor_immediacy_as_behaviors_associated_with_liking_students
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