Humor in the classroom using faculty skits

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Educational Psychology

Background:

• Traditional teaching methods may not fully engage all adult learners.
• Integrating novel strategies is crucial for effective higher education pedagogy.
• Humor is an underutilized yet powerful tool in academic settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the use of faculty-developed skits as a humor-based teaching strategy in nursing education.
• To provide a theoretical framework using Gardner's Multiple Intelligence Theory for adult learners.
• To offer practical examples and guidance for implementing humor in the classroom.

Main Methods:

• Development and implementation of faculty-created skits for nursing students.
• Application of Gardner's Multiple Intelligence Theory to structure humor-based activities.
• Presentation of three exemplars detailing strategies, objectives, and observed effects.

Main Results:

• Faculty-developed skits effectively engage nursing students in the learning process.
• The use of humor, framed by learning theories, positively impacts student participation.
• Exemplars offer actionable insights and practical advice for educators.

Conclusions:

• Humor infusion via skits is a viable and engaging teaching-learning strategy for nursing education.
• Gardner's theory provides a robust framework for utilizing humor to meet diverse learning needs.
• The presented exemplars serve as a practical guide for faculty seeking to enhance student engagement.