In a recent study published by Juilia R. Fox from Indiana University titled: “No Joke! ‘Daily Show’ substantive as network news.” found found that blending facts with humor helps Comedy Central viewers retain more information than those of CNN and Fox news, which blends their news content with hype instead of humor.
Humor and Learning
American physician Patch Adams (of movie fame) dedicated his life to introducing laughter to medicine, and Indian family physician Dr. Madan Kataria has recently begun to promote “Laughter Yoga” to bring proven benefits to the human mind and body.
If laughter can make you healthier, don’t you think it can also help you and your staff learn more effectively? I believe that utilizing interactive humor in training is far more productive than droning on for hours using repetitive, text-filled PowerPoint slides. Training should be entertaining and engaging, allowing the learner to participate rather than spectate.
As someone once said, “Laugh a lot, and when you’re older, all your wrinkles will be in the right places.”