Unveiling Truth in Jest: The Utilization of Humor by Instructors in Teaching and it is Impact on Students' Reception of Course Material
Keywords:
Humor in Teaching, Student Engagement, Learning Outcomes, Pedagogical Humor
Abstract
Overall, humor in teaching is not just entertainment, but a dynamic educational strategy that, if applied wisely, can foster a supportive and effective learning environment conducive to student success. Therefore, this research explores the role of humor as a pedagogical tool in higher education, addressing challenges related to student engagement and learning outcomes. Traditional teaching methods often fail to maintain student interest, leading to reduced comprehension and motivation. In response, innovative approaches such as integrating humor into teaching, specifically through the strategy of "Truth in Jest," have gained attention. Humor is posited to attract attention, alleviate anxiety, and foster a conducive learning atmosphere by reducing stress. Effective use of humor has been shown to enhance cognitive and emotional learning outcomes, improve student participation, and increase retention of course material. However, challenges persist, as many educators hesitate due to concerns about appropriateness and student reactions. The study synthesizes existing literature and empirical findings to provide insights into best practices for integrating humor into lectures effectively. By doing so, it aims to encourage educators to adopt humor as a strategy to create dynamic and interactive learning environments, thereby improving the quality of higher education.
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References
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Arghandwal, N., Wali, A. Z., Popal, A., & Nabavi, S. (2022). Humor: A teaching tool to use rather than ignore. 2018 International Conference on Multidisciplinary Research, 2022, 104–113. https://doi.org/10.26803/MyRes.2022.08
Argudo-Serrano, J., Fajardo-Dack, T., Abad-Célleri, M., & Cabrera-Tenecela, P. (2023). Factors Affecting Students’ Motivation and Engagement in EFL Online Classes during the COVID-19 Pandemic. MEXTESOL Journal, 47(4), n4.
Ayu, C., & Rizky, R. (2023). Unlocking the Power of Peer Assessment Technique : A Catalyst for Enhanced Writing Skills in Higher Education. AL-ISHLAH: Jurnal Pendidikan, 15(4), 4891–4900. https://doi.org/10.35445/alishlah.v15i4.4735
Ayu, C., Rizky, R., & Herdi, H. (2024). Digital Humor and Its Impact on Adolescent Literacy: A Look At High School Reading Trends. English Review: Journal of English Education, 12(2).
Bakar, F. (2020). Appropriate and relevant humour in the university classroom: insights from teachers and students. The European Journal of Humour Research, 7. https://doi.org/10.7592/EJHR2019.7.4.bakar
Bakar, F., & Kumar, V. (2019). The use of humour in teaching and learning in higher education classrooms: Lecturers’ perspectives. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 40, 15–25. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeap.2019.04.006
Bakar, F., & Mallan, V. (2023). How students perceive the teacher’s use of humour and how it enhances learning in the classroom. The European Journal of Humour Research, 10, 187–199. https://doi.org/10.7592/EJHR.2022.10.4.656
Berk, R. (2000). Does Humor in Course Tests Reduce Anxiety and Improve Performance? College Teaching, 48, 151–158. https://doi.org/10.1080/87567550009595834
Coventry, W. L., Farraway, S., Larsen, S. A., Enis, T. P., Forbes, A. Q., & Brown, S. L. (2023). Do student differences in reading enjoyment relate to achievement when using the random-intercept cross-lagged panel model across primary and secondary school? PLoS ONE, 18(6 June), 1–22. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0285739
EKİZER, F., & Akıncı, B. (2023). The effect of humour strategies on speaking anxiety in EFL classesMizah stratejilerinin İngilizce yabancı dil sınıflarında konuşma kaygısına etkisi. RumeliDE Dil ve Edebiyat Araştırmaları Dergisi. https://doi.org/10.29000/rumelide.1252895
Ellingson, L. (2018). Pedagogy of Laughter: Using Humor to Make Teaching and Learning More Fun and Effective. In Teaching with Sociological Imagination in Higher and Further Education: Contexts, Pedagogies, Reflections (pp. 123–134). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-6725-9_8
Erdoğdu, F., & Çakıroğlu, Ü. (2021). The educational power of humor on student engagement in online learning environments. Research and Practice in Technology Enhanced Learning, 16(1), 9. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41039-021-00158-8
Firdaus, M., Agustina, S., & Thahar, H. E. (2021). Satire horatian-based literature learning in higher education. International Journal on Integrated Education, 4(11), 125–134.
Graziano, S., Guevara, K., & Tucker, A. (2017). Laughing at the Truth: Investigating Racial Comedy in Anti-Racist Teacher Education. https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:158384639
Jiang, P., Namaziandost, E., Azizi, Z., & Razmi, M. H. (2023). Exploring the effects of online learning on EFL learners’ motivation, anxiety, and attitudes during the COVID-19 pandemic: a focus on Iran. Current Psychology (New Brunswick, N.J.), 42(3), 2310–2324. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-022-04013-x
Kim, B., & Ho, W. (2018). Emergent social practices of Singapore students: The role of laughter and humour in educational gameplay. International Journal of Child-Computer Interaction, 16, 85–99. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijcci.2018.01.001
Lazaro, A., Kibonde, E., & Kambey, L. (2023). Instructors’ and Students’ Understanding of the Role of Humour in Teaching and Learning English as a Foreign Language. https://doi.org/10.37759/ICE01.2023.10
Lin, S., Hung, C.-J., & (TF) Yen, T.-F. (2020). Compilation of Humor Scale for Applied Undergraduates in Fuzhou. Asian Journal of Education and Social Studies, 6(3 SE-Original Research Article), 10–16. https://doi.org/10.9734/ajess/2020/v6i330175
Martin, A. P. (2023). It’s a Bit Inappropriate: UK Students’ Negative Perceptions of Using Humor in Teaching Politics. Journal of Political Science Education, 19(2), 231–249. https://doi.org/10.1080/15512169.2022.2131560
Masek, A., Hashim, S., & Ismail, A. (2019). Integration of the humour approach with student’s engagement in teaching and learning sessions. Journal of Education for Teaching, 45(2), 228–233. https://doi.org/10.1080/02607476.2018.1548169
Meşe, E., & Sevilen, Ç. (2021). Factors influencing EFL students’ motivation in online learning: A qualitative case study. Journal of Educational Technology and Online Learning, 4(1), 11–22. https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/jetol/issue/60134/817680
Nienaber, K., Abrams, G., & Segrist, D. (2019). The Funny Thing Is, Instructor Humor Style Affects Likelihood of Student Engagement. Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 19. https://doi.org/10.14434/josotl.v19i5.24296
Pundt, A., Kutzner, J., Haberland, K., Algner, M., & Lorenz, T. (2022). You are simply not funny: Development and validation of a scale to measure failed humor in leadership. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 929988. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.929988
Ramadansur, R., Sembiring, A. K., Rizky, R., & Nelvariza, N. (2023). Promoting Critical Thinking Skills through Contextual Teaching and Learning. Lectura : Jurnal Pendidikan, 14(2), 340–351. https://doi.org/10.31849/lectura.v14i2.15030
Rizky, R. (2020). “Bits and Pieces” to Improve the Students’ Writing Skill: Using Educational Game as an Approach to Teach Descriptive Text. Elsya : Journal of English Language Studies, 2(1), 20–25. https://doi.org/10.31849/elsya.v2i1.3631
Rizky, R., & Zainil, Y. (2021). The Use of the Bits and Pieces Game on Students’ Achievement on Writing Report Text. Al-Ishlah: Jurnal Pendidikan, 13(1), 301–306. https://doi.org/10.35445/alishlah.v13i1.463.
Shoda, V. P., & Yamanaka, T. (2022). A Study on Instructional Humor: How Much Humor Is Used in Presentations? In Behavioral Sciences (Vol. 12, Issue 1). https://doi.org/10.3390/bs12010007
Smith, V. D., & Wortley, A. (2017). “Everyone’s a Comedian.” No Really, They Are: Using Humor in the Online and Traditional Classroom. https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:73590138
Solhi, M., & Mutlu, A. (2019). Using Humor in Language Classrooms: Greasing the Wheels or Putting a Spanner in the Works? A Study on Humor Styles of Turkish EFL Instructors. 5, 23–39. https://doi.org/10.32601/ejal.543776
Tiwari, D., Toady, T., Monperrus, M., & Baudry, B. (2024). With Great Humor Comes Great Developer Engagement. Proceedings of the 46th International Conference on Software Engineering: Software Engineering in Society, 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1145/3639475.3640099
Wahyuni, W., & Naim, M. (2019). Application of A Joyful Learning Strategy Based on Humor Communication to Improve the Interests and Achievements of Learning English. EDUVELOP, 3, 56–63. https://doi.org/10.31605/eduvelop.v3i1.423
Wang, X., Jin, Y., & Jia, L. (2022). Chinese Adolescents’ Reading Motivation Profiles and Their Relations to Reading Amount. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 875486. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.875486
Wedawati, M. T., Nur Abida, F. I., Koiri, M., & Damanhuri, A. (2022). Cultural and Moral Values in East Javanese Folklore. ELS Journal on Interdisciplinary Studies in Humanities, 5(3 SE-), 411–415. https://doi.org/10.34050/elsjish.v5i3.22230
Weisi, H., & Mohammadi, V. (2023). Humour in the classroom: forms and functions among Iranian EFL teachers. The European Journal of Humour Research, 11, 168–183. https://doi.org/10.7592/EJHR.2023.11.1.739
Xiao, X.-Y. (2022). How motivational constructs predict reading amount and reading achievement: The role of reading attitude and reading self-concept. Power and Education, 15(3), 341–361. https://doi.org/10.1177/17577438221146246
Yus, F. (2023). Humour on Social Networking Sites BT - Pragmatics of Internet Humour (F. Yus (ed.); pp. 189–244). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-31902-0_6
Zheng, W., & Wang, X. (2023). Humor experience facilitates ongoing cognitive tasks: Evidence from pun comprehension. Frontiers in Psychology, 14(January). https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1127275
Arghandwal, N., Wali, A. Z., Popal, A., & Nabavi, S. (2022). Humor: A teaching tool to use rather than ignore. 2018 International Conference on Multidisciplinary Research, 2022, 104–113. https://doi.org/10.26803/MyRes.2022.08
Argudo-Serrano, J., Fajardo-Dack, T., Abad-Célleri, M., & Cabrera-Tenecela, P. (2023). Factors Affecting Students’ Motivation and Engagement in EFL Online Classes during the COVID-19 Pandemic. MEXTESOL Journal, 47(4), n4.
Ayu, C., & Rizky, R. (2023). Unlocking the Power of Peer Assessment Technique : A Catalyst for Enhanced Writing Skills in Higher Education. AL-ISHLAH: Jurnal Pendidikan, 15(4), 4891–4900. https://doi.org/10.35445/alishlah.v15i4.4735
Ayu, C., Rizky, R., & Herdi, H. (2024). Digital Humor and Its Impact on Adolescent Literacy: A Look At High School Reading Trends. English Review: Journal of English Education, 12(2).
Bakar, F. (2020). Appropriate and relevant humour in the university classroom: insights from teachers and students. The European Journal of Humour Research, 7. https://doi.org/10.7592/EJHR2019.7.4.bakar
Bakar, F., & Kumar, V. (2019). The use of humour in teaching and learning in higher education classrooms: Lecturers’ perspectives. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 40, 15–25. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeap.2019.04.006
Bakar, F., & Mallan, V. (2023). How students perceive the teacher’s use of humour and how it enhances learning in the classroom. The European Journal of Humour Research, 10, 187–199. https://doi.org/10.7592/EJHR.2022.10.4.656
Berk, R. (2000). Does Humor in Course Tests Reduce Anxiety and Improve Performance? College Teaching, 48, 151–158. https://doi.org/10.1080/87567550009595834
Coventry, W. L., Farraway, S., Larsen, S. A., Enis, T. P., Forbes, A. Q., & Brown, S. L. (2023). Do student differences in reading enjoyment relate to achievement when using the random-intercept cross-lagged panel model across primary and secondary school? PLoS ONE, 18(6 June), 1–22. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0285739
EKİZER, F., & Akıncı, B. (2023). The effect of humour strategies on speaking anxiety in EFL classesMizah stratejilerinin İngilizce yabancı dil sınıflarında konuşma kaygısına etkisi. RumeliDE Dil ve Edebiyat Araştırmaları Dergisi. https://doi.org/10.29000/rumelide.1252895
Ellingson, L. (2018). Pedagogy of Laughter: Using Humor to Make Teaching and Learning More Fun and Effective. In Teaching with Sociological Imagination in Higher and Further Education: Contexts, Pedagogies, Reflections (pp. 123–134). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-6725-9_8
Erdoğdu, F., & Çakıroğlu, Ü. (2021). The educational power of humor on student engagement in online learning environments. Research and Practice in Technology Enhanced Learning, 16(1), 9. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41039-021-00158-8
Firdaus, M., Agustina, S., & Thahar, H. E. (2021). Satire horatian-based literature learning in higher education. International Journal on Integrated Education, 4(11), 125–134.
Graziano, S., Guevara, K., & Tucker, A. (2017). Laughing at the Truth: Investigating Racial Comedy in Anti-Racist Teacher Education. https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:158384639
Jiang, P., Namaziandost, E., Azizi, Z., & Razmi, M. H. (2023). Exploring the effects of online learning on EFL learners’ motivation, anxiety, and attitudes during the COVID-19 pandemic: a focus on Iran. Current Psychology (New Brunswick, N.J.), 42(3), 2310–2324. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-022-04013-x
Kim, B., & Ho, W. (2018). Emergent social practices of Singapore students: The role of laughter and humour in educational gameplay. International Journal of Child-Computer Interaction, 16, 85–99. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijcci.2018.01.001
Lazaro, A., Kibonde, E., & Kambey, L. (2023). Instructors’ and Students’ Understanding of the Role of Humour in Teaching and Learning English as a Foreign Language. https://doi.org/10.37759/ICE01.2023.10
Lin, S., Hung, C.-J., & (TF) Yen, T.-F. (2020). Compilation of Humor Scale for Applied Undergraduates in Fuzhou. Asian Journal of Education and Social Studies, 6(3 SE-Original Research Article), 10–16. https://doi.org/10.9734/ajess/2020/v6i330175
Martin, A. P. (2023). It’s a Bit Inappropriate: UK Students’ Negative Perceptions of Using Humor in Teaching Politics. Journal of Political Science Education, 19(2), 231–249. https://doi.org/10.1080/15512169.2022.2131560
Masek, A., Hashim, S., & Ismail, A. (2019). Integration of the humour approach with student’s engagement in teaching and learning sessions. Journal of Education for Teaching, 45(2), 228–233. https://doi.org/10.1080/02607476.2018.1548169
Meşe, E., & Sevilen, Ç. (2021). Factors influencing EFL students’ motivation in online learning: A qualitative case study. Journal of Educational Technology and Online Learning, 4(1), 11–22. https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/jetol/issue/60134/817680
Nienaber, K., Abrams, G., & Segrist, D. (2019). The Funny Thing Is, Instructor Humor Style Affects Likelihood of Student Engagement. Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 19. https://doi.org/10.14434/josotl.v19i5.24296
Pundt, A., Kutzner, J., Haberland, K., Algner, M., & Lorenz, T. (2022). You are simply not funny: Development and validation of a scale to measure failed humor in leadership. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 929988. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.929988
Ramadansur, R., Sembiring, A. K., Rizky, R., & Nelvariza, N. (2023). Promoting Critical Thinking Skills through Contextual Teaching and Learning. Lectura : Jurnal Pendidikan, 14(2), 340–351. https://doi.org/10.31849/lectura.v14i2.15030
Rizky, R. (2020). “Bits and Pieces” to Improve the Students’ Writing Skill: Using Educational Game as an Approach to Teach Descriptive Text. Elsya : Journal of English Language Studies, 2(1), 20–25. https://doi.org/10.31849/elsya.v2i1.3631
Rizky, R., & Zainil, Y. (2021). The Use of the Bits and Pieces Game on Students’ Achievement on Writing Report Text. Al-Ishlah: Jurnal Pendidikan, 13(1), 301–306. https://doi.org/10.35445/alishlah.v13i1.463.
Shoda, V. P., & Yamanaka, T. (2022). A Study on Instructional Humor: How Much Humor Is Used in Presentations? In Behavioral Sciences (Vol. 12, Issue 1). https://doi.org/10.3390/bs12010007
Smith, V. D., & Wortley, A. (2017). “Everyone’s a Comedian.” No Really, They Are: Using Humor in the Online and Traditional Classroom. https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:73590138
Solhi, M., & Mutlu, A. (2019). Using Humor in Language Classrooms: Greasing the Wheels or Putting a Spanner in the Works? A Study on Humor Styles of Turkish EFL Instructors. 5, 23–39. https://doi.org/10.32601/ejal.543776
Tiwari, D., Toady, T., Monperrus, M., & Baudry, B. (2024). With Great Humor Comes Great Developer Engagement. Proceedings of the 46th International Conference on Software Engineering: Software Engineering in Society, 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1145/3639475.3640099
Wahyuni, W., & Naim, M. (2019). Application of A Joyful Learning Strategy Based on Humor Communication to Improve the Interests and Achievements of Learning English. EDUVELOP, 3, 56–63. https://doi.org/10.31605/eduvelop.v3i1.423
Wang, X., Jin, Y., & Jia, L. (2022). Chinese Adolescents’ Reading Motivation Profiles and Their Relations to Reading Amount. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 875486. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.875486
Wedawati, M. T., Nur Abida, F. I., Koiri, M., & Damanhuri, A. (2022). Cultural and Moral Values in East Javanese Folklore. ELS Journal on Interdisciplinary Studies in Humanities, 5(3 SE-), 411–415. https://doi.org/10.34050/elsjish.v5i3.22230
Weisi, H., & Mohammadi, V. (2023). Humour in the classroom: forms and functions among Iranian EFL teachers. The European Journal of Humour Research, 11, 168–183. https://doi.org/10.7592/EJHR.2023.11.1.739
Xiao, X.-Y. (2022). How motivational constructs predict reading amount and reading achievement: The role of reading attitude and reading self-concept. Power and Education, 15(3), 341–361. https://doi.org/10.1177/17577438221146246
Yus, F. (2023). Humour on Social Networking Sites BT - Pragmatics of Internet Humour (F. Yus (ed.); pp. 189–244). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-31902-0_6
Zheng, W., & Wang, X. (2023). Humor experience facilitates ongoing cognitive tasks: Evidence from pun comprehension. Frontiers in Psychology, 14(January). https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1127275
Published
2024-07-13
Section
Articles
