Humor As an Instructional Defibrillator: Evidence-Based Techniques in Teaching and Assessment

by Berk, Ronald A.

• ISBN13: 9781579220631
• ISBN10: 1579220630
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2002-10-01
• Publisher: Stylus Pub Llc

Summary

Grab those paddles. Charge 300. Clear! "Ouch!" Now how do you feel? "Great!" Humor can be used as a systematic teaching or assessment tool in your classroom and course Web site. It can shock students to attention and bring deadly, boring course content to life. Since some students have the attention span of goat cheese, we need to find creative online and offline techniques to hook them, engage their emotions, and focus their minds and eyeballs on learning. This book offers numerous techniques on how to effectively use humor in lectures and in-class activities, printed materials, course Web sites and course tests and exams. These techniques can convert any course into an adult version of Sesame Street. "If Dr. Hannibal Lecter ate books, this one would make a tasty hors d' oeuvre." -- Clarice Starling "A non-page-turning marvel...I could stop reading at any point and know I 'm not missing anything." -- Forrest Gump "Not as much fun as Quidditch, but would be required reading for faculty at the Hogwarts School." -- Harry Potter "How did you get this book published? Read my letters: YOUR KNOT FUNY!" -- Bart Simpson

Author Biography

Ronald A. Berk is Professor of Biostatistics and Measurement and Assistant Dean for Teaching at the School of Nursing, The Johns Hopkins University.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	xiii
Introduction	xv
Part I Teaching
Creating Humor to Hook Your Students	3	(34)
Why Use Humor in the Classroom?	4	(2)
Professor-Student Connection	4	(1)
Student Engagement	5	(1)
Basic Formulas for Humor	6	(2)
Trifecta Formula for Humor Delivered Orally	7	(1)
Formulas for Humor in Print	8	(1)
Forms of Humor in Teaching	8	(13)
In-Class Forms That Rely on Delivery	8	(1)
In-Class Forms Inserted into Print Materials	9	(1)
Out-of-Class Forms on a Course Web Site	9	(2)
Out-of-Class Forms That Should Remain Out of Class	11	(8)
In-Class Topics That Are Not Culture Specific	19	(2)
Factors That Can Affect Laughter in the Classroom	21	(6)
Physical Arrangements	22	(1)
Class Size	22	(1)
Classroom Atmosphere	23	(1)
Eye Contact	24	(1)
Gender	24	(3)
Summary	27	(1)
How Do You Learn to Be Funny?	27	(2)
Selectionist Approach	28	(1)
Classroom Application	29	(1)
Evaluating the Effectiveness of Humor Strategies	29	(8)
Scale Construction	30	(5)
Scale Administration	35	(1)
Scale Scoring and Analysis	36	(1)
The Active Ingredients in Humor and Laughter	37	(26)
Model of Humor Research	38	(2)
Psychological Benefits	40	(4)
Role of Detachment	40	(1)
Problem Stimulus	41	(1)
Humor Response	42	(1)
Emotional Response	42	(2)
Physiological Benefits	44	(13)
Reasons for Laughter	44	(1)
Stages/Grades of Laughter	45	(3)
Improves Mental Functioning	48	(1)
Exercises and Relaxes Muscles	49	(1)
Improves Respiration	50	(1)
Stimulates Circulation	50	(1)
Decreases Stress Hormones	51	(1)
Increases Immune System's Defenses	52	(2)
Increases Pain Threshold and Tolerance	54	(3)
Summary	57	(1)
Physiological Risks	57	(1)
Implications for Teaching and Assessment	58	(3)
Professor-Student Connection	58	(1)
Classroom Atmosphere	59	(1)
Student Responsiveness	60	(1)
Test Performance	60	(1)
Student Attendance	60	(1)
Research Citations for Eight Psychological Benefits	61	(2)
Lights, Camera, Active Learning!	63	(66)
Theoretical and Research Foundation	65	(9)
Multiple Intelligence Theory	65	(4)
Application of the Humor Incongruity Formula to Music	69	(2)
Classroom Research Evidence	71	(3)
Guidelines for Selecting the Music	74	(13)
Sources for Music Ideas	74	(2)
Impact of Student Characteristics	76	(11)
Techniques for Infusing Music in College Courses	87	(18)
Pre-Class Warm-Ups	88	(1)
First-Class Blockbusters	88	(2)
Class Openings/Topic Introductions	90	(2)
Demonstrations/Skits	92	(6)
Written Activity Interludes	98	(1)
Test Reviews	98	(4)
Post-Review Send-Offs	102	(1)
Post-Test Pick-Me-Ups	102	(1)
Holiday Frolic	103	(2)
Appendix A: Inventory of Music, Artist(s), and Sources	105	(4)
Appendix B: First-Class Blockbusters	109	(4)
Appendix C: Class Openings/Topic Introductions (Generic)	113	(10)
Appendix D: Class Openings/Topic Introductions (Content-Specific)	123	(2)
Appendix E: Test Reviews	125	(4)
www.hilariouscourse.yeahright	129	(26)
Print Forms of Humor on the Web	131	(13)
Web Course Components	131	(2)
Course Disclaimers	133	(1)
Announcements	133	(2)
Warnings or Cautions	135	(1)
Lists	136	(2)
Word Derivations	138	(1)
Foreign Word Expressions	139	(1)
Acronyms and Emoticons	140	(2)
Locations of Colleges/Universities, Research Institutions, or Government Agencies	142	(1)
Serious-Humor Contrast Table	142	(2)
Non-Print Forms of Humor on the Web	144	(11)
Visual Effects	144	(4)
Sound Effects	148	(7)
Part II Assessment
Assessment is Like a Box of Chocolates . . .	155	(28)
Four Types of Classroom Assessment	156	(3)
Precourse (Waiver/Placement Assessment)	157	(1)
Beginning of Course (Screening/Diagnostic Assessment)	157	(1)
During Course (Formative/Diagnostic Assessment)	158	(1)
End of Course (Summative Assessment)	159	(1)
A Consumer's Guide to Selecting Assessment Methods	159	(4)
Kinda Boring General Rules for Writing Items	163	(20)
Generate Each Item from a Specific Instructional Objective or Outcome	164	(1)
Focus on a Single, Clearly Stated Problem	164	(2)
Measure Higher-Order Thinking Skills When Possible	166	(3)
Measure Important Information	169	(1)
Avoid Ambiguity, Whatever	170	(1)
Avoid Offensive and Stereotypic Language and Situations	170	(1)
Assure the Representational Fairness of All Persons	170	(1)
Avoid Irrelevant Material That Makes an Item More Difficult	171	(1)
Avoid Opinion Questions	171	(1)
Cite an Authority in a Judgment-Type Item	172	(1)
Tap Different Information with Each Item	172	(3)
Avoid Using the Answer to One Item as a Prerequisite for Answering Other Items	175	(2)
Avoid Trickery in Items	177	(1)
Test the Answers of Context-Dependent Items	178	(1)
Develop Multiple Items for Context-Dependent Material	178	(1)
Format Items Vertically	178	(1)
Minimize Examinees' Reading Time with Terse Wording of Each Item	179	(1)
Write the Item at the Appropriate Difficulty Level	180	(1)
Use the Standard Rules of Grammar, Punctuation, Spelling, and Abbreviation	180	(3)
Do-It-Yourself Test Construction	183	(24)
Anatomy of a Multiple-Choice Item	184	(2)
Conventional ``Camry'' Format	184	(1)
Luxurious ``Lexus'' Format	185	(1)
Ancient Origin of the Multiple-Choice Format	186	(1)
A Brief and Fractured History of Multiple-Choice Item-Writing Rules	187	(2)
Writing the Stem	189	(9)
Present a Single Definite Problem or Idea	189	(1)
State the Problem as Simply and Clearly as Possible	190	(1)
Avoid Excess Verbiage, Window Dressing, and Red Herrings	191	(1)
Use Either the Question or Completion Format	192	(1)
If the Stem Is in Completion Form, Place the Blank at the End	193	(1)
State the Stem in Positive Form Whenever Possible	194	(1)
Use the Negative Form Only When It Is Consistent with the Learning Outcome	195	(1)
If the Negative Form Is Used, EMPHASIZE the Negative Word	196	(1)
State Most of the Information in the Stem	197	(1)
If the Stem Asks for the Best or Most Appropriate Answer, Emphasize the Words Best or Most	198	(1)
Writing the Choices	198	(9)
State All Choices as Simply, Clearly, and Briefly as Possible	199	(1)
Order Verbal Choices Logically and Quantitative Choices Numerically from Lowest to Highest Values	199	(1)
Avoid or Use Sparingly ``None of the Above''	200	(2)
Use Plausible Distracters	202	(1)
Intended Answer Should Be Unequivocally Correct or Absolutely Best	203	(1)
Avoid Stating the Correct Answer in Textbook Language or Stereotyped Phraseology	204	(1)
The Correct/Best Answer Should Appear About the Same Number of Times in Random Positions Throughout the Entire Test	204	(3)
Detecting Flaws in This Old Test	207	(20)
Why Eliminate Item Flaws?	207	(1)
Test of Testwiseness	208	(2)
Top 10 Item Flaws	210	(13)
Incorrect Stem-Choice Grammatical Structure	210	(2)
Verbal Association in the Stem and Choices	212	(1)
Clang Association in the Stem and Correct Answer	213	(1)
Unequal Length and Complexity of Choices	214	(1)
Nonparallel or Inconsistent Grammatical Structure of Choices	215	(1)
``All of the Above'' as a Correct Answer Clue	216	(1)
Absolute Terms in Distracters	216	(2)
Overlapping Choices That Include One or More Other Choices	218	(3)
Synonym and Antonym Choice Pairs	221	(1)
Heterogeneous Content Choices	222	(1)
Summary	223	(2)
Appendix: Key to Test of Testwiseness	225	(2)
Injecting Jest into Your Test	227	(20)
Test Anxiety	229	(3)
What's the Problem?	229	(1)
Reducing Anxiety Before the Test	230	(2)
Does Humor Reduce Anxiety and Improve Performance?	232	(2)
Psychophysiological Evidence	232	(1)
Humor in Testing Evidence	232	(2)
Injecting Humor into the Beginning and End of Your Test	234	(2)
Incongruous Descriptors Under the Title	234	(1)
Jocular Inserts in the Directions	235	(1)
Humorous Note on the Last Page	235	(1)
Injecting Humor into the Test Items	236	(8)
Content-Irrelevant Strategies	236	(4)
Content-Relevant Strategies	240	(4)
Evaluating the Effectiveness of Your Humor	244	(1)
Conclusions	245	(2)
References	247	(18)
Index	265