Incorporating humour into online teaching in higher education: Rationales and perspectives

Context: People in a range of occupations and settings have purposefully integrated humor into their practice, and by addressing multiple purposes. In educational settings, humour has also been used extensively included for the purpose of increasing enjoyment of learning experiences and increasing student engagement. However, little is understood about the use and rationale for humour in online Higher Education contexts, or barriers for teachers' use of this strategy. Description of the research: This research team is in the early stages of investigating the topic. This roundtable is an opportunity for others to share their experiences or ideas of using humour and of how humour could be harnessed within online learning environments. Academics are invited to also share their perceptions on how humour impacts students’ online learning and engagement. Intended outcome and contribution to scholarship/practice: It is anticipated that the outcomes of pursuing an investigation on this phenomenon include the identification of current uses of humour in online teaching and the rationale behind these practices. It is anticipated that findings will inform some key recommendations as to the value of embedding humour as a strategy in online learning environments, and practical guidelines that educators can use when considering using humour as part of their pedagogy.