Instructional design is not easy. There is the need to balance the expectations of many stakeholders, while not losing sight of the learning goals. One way to quickly get there is to amp up the engagement level of the course you’re designing. Engagement in learning comes in many shapes and forms, but here, we will talk about perhaps one of the most underutilized of forms – humor.
What? You can’t be serious! We are dealing with topics of grave significance, and you want me to crack jokes in the course?
I get it. This, and the ones below, are some of the reasons we hesitate to use this powerful tool in our instructional content.
- The content is serious, and we don’t want to dilute it (this is what we saw above)
I’m not asking you to dilute the content. However, lightening it up just a little can go a long way in making it easier to absorb and digest. - People will laugh too much and forget the content (a variation of the above)
We don’t have to make it too funny, do we? All I’m saying is to ease the tone, and add a punch here and there. - People won’t laugh at all; they won’t find it funny
That’s okay. If that is the worst thing that happens, we have nothing to worry. That’s because our goal is to use humor only to aid understanding. And, as you start doing this more often, you will get better at it, and your learners will thank you for it. - It might offend some people
A very valid point. To avoid this, stay clear of topics that generally offend people. For example, you don’t want to poke fun at a particular section of society, or at disaster events or diseases, etc. Such topics tend to evoke negative emotions, and we don’t people to feel bad; we simply want them to laugh a little so they can learn better. - I don’t know how to write with humor
Again, very valid. And that, my friend, is the purpose of this article. I hope I can give you some pointers to make your content light and fun.
If you look at the larger picture, the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. Humor improves attention, learners love you, and you can get away with murder. Well technically you can’t get away with murder, but you get the drift.
Ways to Incorporate Humor in Your Writing
“Being gloomy is easier than being cheerful. Anybody can say, “I’ve got cancer” and get a rise out of a crowd. But how many of us can do five minutes of good stand-up comedy?” — P.J. O’Rourke
We can all use a good laugh sometimes, but how many people have the ability to make others laugh? Added to this struggle is the belief that a sense of humor has to be ingrained in someone. We’ve all heard the saying “You’re either born with it, or you’re not.”
Speaking for myself, I’m not funny by any stretch of imagination. But I like to set an example for others. Usually it’s a bad example, though.
Don’t fret if, like me, you’re not born with a funny bone. Here are some strategies to add a bit of humor in your next project.
1. Surprise
Laughter is said to be a reaction to being surprised. When the audience encounters an unexpected twist in what they’re reading, it’s bound to elicit a chuckle. There are many ways to incorporate surprise in your writing. For instance: “I’ve lost my home, I’ve lost control, and I can’t see any escape. It’s time to get a new keyboard.” Until the second statement, the reader has no idea what the writer is talking about. And that can bring a smile to their face.
Remember this sentence that I used earlier? “But I like to set an example for others. Usually it’s a bad example, though.”? Hopefully, you smiled when you read the second part about the example being a bad one.
Another way to add an element of surprise is to follow the rule of three. Lists tend to be effective when presented in threes. To make the list funny, add an unexpected twist at the end. For instance:
- It’s easy to look thin in photos. Exercise, eat less, and stand next to your big, fat uncle.
- College was great. We learned a lot, had fun, and my friend ran away with her roommate’s cat.
Can you recognize where I used the rule of three in this article above? Well, here it is:
- Humor improves attention, learners love you, and you get away with murder.
2. Exaggeration
This is a common technique where you embellish your content and add a bit of drama to make it interesting and funny. Here are some examples so you can understand the difference:
- Normal: We bought a lot of stationery.
Exaggerated: We bought so much stationery that I had to hire a tractor trailer to carry it home. - Normal: This bicycle is old.
Exaggerated: This bicycle is so old it could have great grandchildren.
3. Specifics
When you combine specifics with surprise and exaggeration, everything becomes funnier. Take a look at these examples:
- Normal: You’ve eaten a lot of junk food today.
Exaggerated and Specific: You’ve eaten 725 packets of potato chips since morning. - Normal: I started my career many years ago.
Exaggerated and Specific: I started working 142 years ago.
4. Absurdity
All of the above examples work only because they are absurd in some way, and so cannot be true. For instance, no one would think it possible for one person to eat 725 packets of chips in a single day. Or that a bicycle could have great grandchildren. Here are some other examples of absurdity in writing:
- The doctor told me to eat a balanced diet. I use both hands to eat now.
- Obesity runs in my family. That’s because no one runs in my family.
- The last thing I want to do is hurt you, but it’s still on the list.
Where To Add Humor in Your Course
If you have a character (perhaps a narrator or mentor or buddy) in the course, the best place to add humor is in their dialogs. And if you have more than one character, it’s even better. You can build a friendly banter between them, and that can be funny.
Other places to add some wit include your introductions and conclusions, the feedback you provide for activities and questions, etc. Basically, you want to avoid doing this in the serious content sections, especially if you’re new to this.
How To Improve Your Sense of Humor in General
Contrary to popular belief, it is possible to learn to get funnier. Take my example. I’ve been learning for years.
And practice. As with everything, the more you practice, the easier it becomes to write something that people find funny. So, here are a few things you can do.
- Closely observe your favorite comedians and the funny people around you. Strip down their jokes, and try to reconstruct them in your own words.
- Observational comedy is about taking common, mundane things and putting a spin on them to make them funnier. For instance, “I’m on a seafood diet. When I see food, I eat it.”
- Self-deprecation is probably the best kind of humor. Start with a list of the things you hate about yourself, and put a spin on those.
- Practice with the people close to you, in your day-to-day conversations. This will give you an idea of how you’re doing and progressing.
When it comes to your writing, do some research on your audience:
- What does the audience find funny / interesting?
- What do they find boring?
- What are the mundane things they are sick of in their life?
If you understand the audience, it would be easy to come up with funny stuff that tickles them.
A Few Final Words
- If a joke or funny piece requires too much explanation, skip it. It is not worth your audience’s time, and yours too.
- Beware of using references that are too specific to a section of the audience. The others may not get it.
- Never joke about actual grave stuff – medical conditions, major disaster events, etc.
- If your humor pokes fun (even mild fun) at a particular section of society, it’s not a good idea to include in the course.
Remember that you are using humor as a vehicle to move the audience to learn and do something, and not doing standup comedy. So, don’t overdo it.
Finally! Do a dry run. In fact, do several. First with your friends and colleagues, and then with a small but representative learner group.
Remember that it’s totally okay if no one laughs at the humor in your course, because our end goal is to teach, not to tickle their funny bone. But if it gets in the way of learning, then by all means, dial it back.
Written by Srividya Kumar, Co-Founder @ Learnnovators
