Views

Humour stimulates goal-oriented motivation and long-term memory by activating the brain’s dopamine reward system. Consequently, it can assist learners of all ages in retaining information better. Since it starts our sense of wonder, which is where learning begins, it seems reasonable that it helps enhance our retention. Humour’s infectious nature naturally fosters a feeling of community by lowering barriers and bringing people together. 

Furthermore, humour has an energising impact, making individuals more engaged in and stimulated by what is going on. These advantages are significant because they show that humour might be a valuable tool to utilise in educational settings, both by teachers attempting to improve their teaching and by students trying to aid their learning. 

Instructors may implement humour strategies as a fun way to improve performance and increase motivation and satisfaction in their students throughout the learning process. This helps in creating a better overall classroom environment. It is important to note that excessive, hurtful and inappropriate humour might have the opposite impact. Therefore, it is essential to consider the type of humour you plan to use and how you plan to use it. 

It is undoubtedly beneficial to keep your humour in line with what is being taught as an educator. In this context, it may be used in the following ways: 

• Using a humorous comic to assist in conveying a key concept.
• Using a humorous mnemonic to assist in recalling a vital point.  
• Using an amusing narrative to emphasise an important topic.

Some notable guidelines while using humour as an educational tool are mentioned below. 

• Use of humour must be limited: When used too frequently, it may dilute its good effect and cause students to become more distracted.
• Humour should primarily aid students in comprehending the material: It should mainly be utilised to assist learners in understanding key themes in the curriculum. It should be related to the content being studied to serve some function in aiding students’ comprehension.
• Positive and appropriate humour should be used: Improper humour should be avoided, such as hostile humour directed at specific individuals, as it undermines the teacher’s credibility in the student’s eyes.