Description
ABSTRACT Research literature relating to the use of humor as a teaching method or curricula specifically designed to include humor was reviewed to investigate the effects of humor on student learning in various environments from elementary schools to post-secondary classrooms. In this multi-method study, four instruments and a humor treatment were selected to test the hypothesis that students who receive humor-embedded instruction would perform better on assessments than students who did not receive humor instruction. These assessments were analyzed to show student growth in achievement and memory retention as a result of humor-embedded instruction. Gain scores between a pre- test and two post-tests determined student growth in achievement and memory retention. Gain scores were triangulated with student responses to open-ended interview questions about their experiences with humor in the classroom. The gain score data were not statistically significant between the humor and non- humor groups. For the short-term memory gain scores, the non-humor group received slightly higher gain scores. For long-term memory gain scores, the humor group received higher gain scores. However, the interview data was consistent with the findings of humor research from the last 20 years that humor improves learning directly and indirectly.
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Details
Title
- A funny thing happened on the way to the hippocampus: the effects of humor on student achievement and memory retention
Contributors
- McCartney Matthews, Melissa Lee (Author)
- Danzig, Arnold (Thesis advisor)
- Satter Anderson, Kelly (Committee member)
- Davey, Lynn (Committee member)
- Arizona State University (Publisher)
Date Created
The date the item was original created (prior to any relationship with the ASU Digital Repositories.)
2011
Subjects
Resource Type
Collections this item is in
Note
- thesisPartial requirement for: Ed. D., Arizona State University, 2011
- bibliographyIncludes bibliographical references (p. 118-121)
- Field of study: Educational administration and supervision
Citation and reuse
Statement of Responsibility
by Melissa Lee McCartney Matthews