From Ha-Ha to Ah-Ha: When Humor and Learning Intermingle in an Online Classroom Discussion

• In Event: Roundtable Session 10
  In Roundtable Session: Online Teaching and Learning SIG Roundtable Session 2

Abstract

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the relationship between humor and learning for students participating in online discussions. Graduate students enrolled in a hybrid seminar course held at two different campuses participated in synchronous online chats as a regular part of class. Transcripts were analyzed and coded for humor and learning, revealing a complex relationship between these two constructs that emerges through the socially-shared and co-created text of the online discussion. Comparing coded transcripts across the two classes revealed additional insights, as certain patterns were similar and others unique to one class or the other. These findings contribute to our understanding of how teachers might better foster group cohesion and engage students in positive online learning experiences.

Authors

• Jane S. Vogler, Oklahoma State University

• Sonya Erin Munsell, Rogers State University

• Douglas Knutson, Oklahoma State University