What common threads exist among people representing diverse characteristics?
““Comedians have become, most recently, cultural ambassadors of the world. Whether you're in Africa, or America, or Russia, or Asia, laughter is the common language of the world.” (Egyptian-American Stand-Up Comedian Ahmed Ahmed)
A study conducted from the University of London, compared people from Britain and Namibia. Findings suggest basic emotions such as amusement, anger, fear and sadness are shared by all humans. (Are Emotions Universal? By Rick Nauert PhD Senior News Editor, Reviewed by John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on January 27, 2010 )
Zak Stambor, in “How laughing leads to learning, confirms that “..a growing body of research suggests that, when used effectively, classroom comedy can improve student performance by reducing anxiety, boosting participation and increasing students' motivation to focus on the material. Moreover, the benefits might not be limited to students: Research suggests that students rate professors who make learning fun significantly higher than others.” (Monitor Staff, June 2006, Vol 37, No. 6, p. 62).
Certainly, while laughter is a universal positive experience, people from different backgrounds may laugh at different things, so sensitivity is required as we employ laughter as a tool for learning.
What kind of awareness would you recommend in using humor in diverse environments? How might humor and laughter be effectively used in instruction among adults with diverse characteristics? Can humor help bridge perceived gaps in student-instructor communication?
You are encouraged to comment on this topic and to share ideas or practices that will help the rest of us improve student performance in diverse classrooms through the use of humor.
Leecy