Perception of Undergraduate Nursing Students Regarding Humor’s Using as a Teaching Strategy in the Classroom at College of Nursing in Erbil City

Abstract

Background and objectives: Humor is a necessary teaching strategy tool in nursing education programs. Nursing students may feel a sense of boredom in class and therefore, it is important for faculty and instructors to incorporate humor in both the class and clinical setting to improve the overall learning environment. The purpose of this study was to explore students’ experiences regarding the use of humor in the classroom.
Methods: A qualitative study using a hermeneutic-phenomenological approach was taken as a framework for the study. A volunteer sample of 9 undergraduate nursing students from the fourth stage of the College of Nursing at Hawler Medical University participated in the study. The data was analyzed using the content analysis method. This method included four stages; interview transcript, open coding, axial coding, and core category. Data was collected using a semi-structured interview utilizing four open-ended interview questions: (a) Did humor improve your relationship with teachers? How? (b) Did humor help you to pay attention to the class? How? (c) Did humor increase your interest in the topic? How? (d) Did you have experiences with humor in the classroom? How?
Results: Most of the participants reported and emphasized that using humor in the classroom by nurse educators was helpful in making the learning environment fun. Also, participants mentioned that using humor was helpful in that they were able to ask their teachers questions in class without fear. Students reported that utilizing humor in the classroom encouraged them to enjoy the course content and the teachers. There were two main themes used in this study; a) encourage students for discussion in the classroom with the following sub-themes: enhance the learning process, improve students critical thinking and communication skills, and decrease the students’ stress, fear and anxiety and b) attract students’ attention in the classroom ......