Preferred Name
Mohamed Serry
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
ORCID
https://orcid.org/0009-0002-1487-8976
Date of Graduation
5-11-2023
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science in Education (MSEd)
Department
Department of Learning, Technology and Leadership Education
Advisor(s)
Edward J. Brantmeier
Diane Foucar-Szocki
Randy Snow
Abstract
This qualitative research studied the experiences of adult education practitioners from Egypt and the United States with the usage of humor. The problem was that humor is a commonly used communication and education tool, yet it is not studied enough within adult education contexts. The sample included three participants from Egypt and three from the United States. All six had adult education experiences in different contexts, including educational interventions in nonprofits, manufacturing contexts, and corporate office settings. The study aimed to determine the positive and negative results of humor on adult learners, also the practitioners' needs for a better usage of humor in the future, and their recommendations for other participants as well. Cross-cultural differences that might or might not emerge were also considered. The results showed how humor widely affects the learning experiences of adult learners, regarding the learning environment, learners’ learning abilities, learners’ interactions and impressions. Adult educators should perceive humor as a helpful tool, study their audience, and have confidence to use humor effectively. Future studies might consider interviewing a wider sample of participants, from more countries and from more adult education contexts. The field of AHRD might benefit from the results and stories of participants by having a better understanding of adult educators’ experiences, views, and perspectives about using humor in adult learning activities.
Recommended Citation
Serry, Mohamed, "‘If they laugh they will love the learning’: Experiences of the use of humor by adult education practitioners in Egypt and the United States" (2023). Masters Theses, 2020-current. 241.
https://commons.lib.jmu.edu/masters202029/241
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