Humor in E-learning

Approximate reading time: 2m 20s

How can you use humor effectively in your e-learning?

Every more experienced e-learning specialist will assure you that when you want to include more entertaining moments in your course, there are a few unwritten rules you should follow. After all, one learner may find a joke funny, while another – offensive. For this reason, in this article we decided to give you a few useful tips on how to use humor effectively in your e-learning, without crossing the line between entertainment and education.

Research your audience to understand its culture, experience, and character.

People from different social backgrounds and people with different professional and life experience find different things funny. Therefore, to understand their definition of the word „humor”, you need to research the issue before you even start the training. Of course, you cannot take every individual personality into account, but you can still find out which direction the views and preferences of most of the group lean toward and adapt to them. To do this, you can interview a few learners, and if you have the time and desire, you can even form a focus group.

Do not let humor overshadow the essential part of the training.

The problem with using humor is the easy drifting away from the essential part of the training, and it is even possible to reach a point where it has no value at all. So be careful – add humorous moments in a way that strengthens the main part of the content rather than displacing it.

Use funny stories and examples to emphasize the subject of the training.

Jokes, witty quotes, and funny interactive scenarios are not the only ways to bring humor into your e-learning. To achieve the same goal, you can tell stories or give real-life examples that will both emphasize the topic and entertain the audience. In addition, stories and examples will help them engage with the content even more strongly. We realize, however, that this task is not always very easy – especially when it comes to longer and more complex training. If you find yourself in such a situation, you can turn to Google for help and look for suitable anecdotes or thoughts that can easily be integrated into your e-course.

Your tone should be optimistic and motivating.

When using humor in your e-learning, remember that it should always be positive and inspiring. Avoid using jokes that are silly, dismissive, or carry even a minimal hint of negativity. Every joke you make should have an optimistic tone so that your learners feel motivated and show the best they are capable of.
For example, you can start your e-learning by including a small dose of humor – a short joke to lift the mood or introduce a funny character. And before an exam, you can use an animated film or a thought that will instill confidence in your learners.

Carefully choose the place where you will use jokes.

An e-learning course that consists mainly of jokes will not provide learners with the necessary knowledge. Therefore, you should use humor wisely and in the right places – in some situations, it can reduce stress and tension (before an exam, for example) or make the training topic more relatable to learners – by using examples or stories. You must be very careful about what emotions you are trying to create – so that you can integrate them in the appropriate place, at the appropriate time.

These tips will help you add humor to your e-learning. But remember that, as with all good things, it should be used in moderation. In addition, we will say that it should be appropriate, positive, and always mindful of the audience, since its main task is to attract attention, not to offend or create a negative atmosphere.

Source: http://elearningindustry.com/top-5-tips-effectively-use-humor-in-elearning.