Humor for International Students and Their Classmates: An Empirical Study and Guidelines

Authors

  • Robert F. McMorris University at Albany, SUNY Author
  • Yoonok Kim University at Albany, SUNY Author

Abstract

The effects of using humor in instruction or testing may be somewhat unpredictable when students' cultural or language background differs from that of the instructor or test developer. The authors describe university international students' experiences with and attitudes toward humor in classroom instruction and testing. Responding to a questionnaire, students more frequently cited experience with and expressed enthusiasm for positive (versus negative) types of humor in both instructional and testing settings. Students generally judged the overall effects of humor as being more positive than negative. The authors discuss appropriate and inappropriate applications of humor and propose guidelines for humor use by professors.

Published

2024-03-22