Academic Course Evaluations in Health Sciences Can Be a Joke: A Cross-sectional Examination of whether Students Appreciate a Professor's Sense of Humor. Issue 6 (2nd November 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: White, Marney A.
• Is Part Of: American journal of health education. Volume 50:Issue 6(2019)
• Page Start: 398
• Page End: 404
• Publication Date: 2019-11-02
• Subjects: Health education -- United States -- Periodicals; School hygiene -- Study and teaching -- United States -- Periodicals; Health Education -- Periodicals; School Health Services -- Periodicals; 371
• DOI: 10.1080/19325037.2019.1675559
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1932-5037

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Background : There is some evidence that humor can be used effectively in teaching, to maintain student interest in the material and potentially to reduce academic stress. Purpose : To examine the relationship between students' appreciation of a professor's use of humor and course evaluations. Methods : 128 undergraduate and graduate students completed course evaluations following enrollment in epidemiology and public health classes. Course evaluations included a single "custom question" that assessed perceived funniness of a joke. Primary outcomes were student ratings of the perceived funniness of a joke, student ratings of a professor's effectiveness, and student evaluations of the course overall. Results : Perceived funniness of a joke was positively and significantly associated with evaluations of the instructor and course overall. Discussion : The study supports the use of humor as a pedagogical technique, so long as the jokes are actually funny. Translation to Health Education Practice : Humor can be used as a teaching tool, especially to increase student attention and perhaps to reduce stress.