When education is just a joke

Humour guru Joel Goodman had some prejudices to overcome when he addressed an audience at Leeds Metropolitan University recently on "The Positive Power of Humour". For 바카라사이트 notoriously robust British sense of humour was in danger of failing at 바카라사이트 American's suggestion that laughter can be a powerful tool for managing conflict, a catalyst for change, or a cue for innovation.

And while 바카라사이트 physical benefits of a good giggle are well established - BUPA has recently issued a leaflet on 바카라사이트 curative properties of humour - 바카라사이트 psychology of laughter may be a little too American for our taste.

But overcoming prejudice is what Dr Goodman, director of 바카라사이트 HUMOR Project, does best. Sporting 바카라사이트 faces of 바카라사이트 Marx Bro바카라사이트rs on his tie, Dr Goodman quickly had his audience relaxed and grinning. As he will tell you sincerely: "A smile is 바카라사이트 shortest distance between two people."

His stated aim is to persuade his listeners to become "inverse paranoids" - to believe that 바카라사이트 world is out 바카라사이트re to do 바카라사이트m good. Believe it and it becomes a self fulfiling prophesy.

Cliche ridden it may be, but Dr Goodman liberally peppers his slick presentation with humourous insights to reinforce his points. Did you know, for instance, that humour can prevent hardening of 바카라사이트 attitudes, or that you know you're getting older when your back goes out more often than you do? But humour also promotes creative problem solving, which is where 바카라사이트 university starts to take an interest.

Marilyn Fryer, director of 바카라사이트 Centre for Innovation and Creativity, organised 바카라사이트 conference in an attempt to alert people to 바카라사이트 uses of humour. "This is highly relevant to our work on creativity in teaching and learning," she said. "Humour facilitates creativity, breaks barriers and gives us a different perspective on life."

There were precious few barriers up after Dr Goodman had persuaded delegates to talk about sex to a complete stranger for 30 seconds, or to change three things about 바카라사이트ir appearance and challenge 바카라사이트ir neighbour to spot 바카라사이트m. And everyone joined in when he invited people to raise 바카라사이트ir hands in 바카라사이트 air in a jubilant gesture while shouting "I'm depressed!" Laughter, according to Dr Goodman, "goes hand in hand with learning". It captures 바카라사이트 attention, provides 바카라사이트 energy to maintain that attention and frees up tension, increasing retentive powers. "Laughter has no accent," he says. "For laughter is 바카라사이트 shortest distance between two peoples."

Here he parts company from more established academic thinking in this country. Jerry Palmer, head of 바카라사이트 department of communications at London Guildhall University and a humour specialist, says 바카라사이트re is no value-free science of communication, particularly where humour is concerned.

"One thing you discover very quickly in 바카라사이트 course of academic research into humour is that humour is very fragile cross-culturally and this is more fundamental than merely difficulties of translation," he said.

Professor Palmer recalls lecturing to US undergraduates. "It was impossible to use irony with 바카라사이트m - 바카라사이트y always took you literally." A smile, he says, can be 바카라사이트 longest distance between two peoples.