Texan Mosaic

Story by Morgan Rustemeyer/COMM 2311-601

Why did the egg get thrown out of class? 

The answer:  Because he kept telling yolks.

OK, so you might not have laughed.  But it was worth a try. 

Once viewed as a distraction, educators are now understanding how humor can be a powerful tool to serve the needs of students.

A 2018 study posted in the American Psychological Association, called “Using humor in the college classroom:  The pros and the cons”, addresses the topic. 

In this study, 114 male and female students in three introductory psychology classes, ages 18 – 19 years old, filled out questionnaires to explain how an instructor’s use of humor in the classroom affected:

• Their learning
• The opinions they formed about the class and its instructor
• The ways in which it could potentially affect their behavior with and toward their instructors

Another item was added asking the question, “Is it possible to have fun and learn at the same time?”

The results of the study show students unanimously said it is possible to learn and have fun at the same time.  Students also indicated that when a teacher uses humor in the classroom, they:

• learn more
• like the teacher more
• are more likely to talk to their instructor outside the classroom, and
• are more likely to seek help from their instructor about how to do better in the class

Associate Director of Health and Wellness at South Plains College DeEtte Edens says when someone chuckles or laughs, oftentimes what seemed like a big deal, turns out not to be.

And, as it turns out, a chuckle or laugh may actually have positive physiological results. 

Edens says laughter releases endorphins, good hormones, creating a sense of well- being while also biochemically reducing stress.

According to the Mayo Clinic, a good laugh has both short and long term effects.   The short- term effects include:

• Stimulating many organs – the heart, lungs and muscles, and increases the endorphins that are released by your brain.
• Activating and releasing stress responses, and
• Soothing tension

The long- term effects include:

• Improving your immune system
• Relieving pain
• Increasing personal satisfaction
• Improving your mood

And while laughter can be the “best medicine”, the same Mayo Clinic publication points out it’s important to know what is not funny in the classroom. 

The 2018 study of college students from The APA makes the same point.  Students in that study wrote answers describing a time when an instructor tried to use humor in the classroom, but failed, and how it affected them.

Some of those answers were far from humorous:

• “He messed up a joke, and I completely shut down from what he said.” 
• “I had a teacher who made ‘funny’ literary references that we didn’t understand or care about.”
• “Some instructors use humor when students haven’t done so well on tests, and it makes students feel bad.”

In the end, humor in the classroom both is and is not a “laughing matter.” When it’s used correctly, it appears it can be a powerful educational tool.

When you need a break from work or studying, laugh!

When you need to lift a mood, laugh! 

You never know how much it may help you learn.