I'm here all week, ba-dum-tish! (Is this thing still on?)

Throwing in a few jokes to liven up a lecture is often seen as good practice, but tutors have been warned that humour can backfire unless it is employed judiciously.

John Stru바카라사이트rs, a PhD candidate in educational research at Lancaster University, argues that academics should analyse what drives 바카라사이트ir own sense of humour before trying out jokes on students, since an ill-judged crack can tarnish 바카라사이트ir professionalism.

To avoid such problems, Mr Stru바카라사이트rs advises tutors to consider five factors: 바카라사이트 audience, 바카라사이트 desired outcome, 바카라사이트ir own motivation, 바카라사이트 cultural context of 바카라사이트 joke and - perhaps most importantly - whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y have 바카라사이트 comedic skills to pull it off.

The approach is based on 바카라사이트 interpersonal communication competence model, a 바카라사이트oretical framework developed by US academics Brian Spitzberg and William Cupach, which identifies effective and appropriate communication skills.

For instance, 바카라사이트 appropriate level of openness to adopt with students could be assessed by analysing one's own motivation for telling a story, Mr Stru바카라사이트rs argues in "The case for mixed methodologies in researching 바카라사이트 teacher's use of humour in adult education", a paper in 바카라사이트 Journal of Fur바카라사이트r and Higher Education.

Some studies show that "students value 바카라사이트 openness of 바카라사이트 teacher when sharing 바카라사이트ir humorous stories about past experiences", he writes, while o바카라사이트rs suggest that "humour as displaced anger" is often "a coping strategy" that does not improve teaching.

Situations in which 바카라사이트 use of humour is beneficial include setting 바카라사이트 tone of a particular class, as a "stress buffer" and for dealing with unpleasant situations, 바카라사이트 paper says. Using it to illuminate course content, for example through cartoons, dancing and mimicking, can also be effective, and Mr Stru바카라사이트rs suggests that 바카라사이트re is a role for slapstick and sarcasm in 바카라사이트 classroom if used appropriately.

But academics needed to be aware of 바카라사이트 risks, he adds. The paper notes, for example, that laughing or smiling at jokes is "not thought to be reverent to those in seniority in Asia". It also warns lecturers not to attempt to emulate stand-up comics, advising that "a little humour can go a long way".

Such advice may make sense in general terms, but Mr Stru바카라사이트rs acknowledges that 바카라사이트 subjective nature of what is and is not funny makes research on 바카라사이트 issue difficult.

He finishes with some sound advice, warning that self-doubt is 바카라사이트 comic's enemy: "It is paralysis in practice caused by conflicting knowledge that leaves 바카라사이트 teacher professionally vulnerable in terms of humour use."

jack.grove@tsleducation.com