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29 January 2024 | Story Igno van Niekerk | Photo Igno van Niekerk
Prof Jannie Pretorius
Prof Jannie Pretorius uses an engaging and humorous teaching style that keeps his Life Science and Natural Science students fascinated and engaged.

Once upon a time, there was a monotonous teacher: the students did not like his lectures. Nothing interesting ever happened. The teacher grew old and retired. The end. Or not? According to research, teaching can be a humorous, fun, and enjoyable experience if you do it differently.

Mr Bean videos and Trevor Noah in the class

Prof Jannie Pretorius, a lecturer in the School of Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Technology, uses an engaging and humorous teaching style that keeps his Life Science and Natural Science students fascinated and engaged. When starting out at the UFS, Prof Jannie wondered about using humour in a “serious tertiary environment.” He soon discovered that students, like most other people, also enjoy appropriate humour.

Using humour in education turned into a research project, and Prof Pretorius found himself showing Mr Bean videos and watching Trevor Noah shows to develop a lesson where the impact of using intentional humour was studied by measuring students’ reactions. An example from the transcription of his class on the mating habits of the praying mantis, where the female often bites the male’s head off to eat him for nourishment, shows how fun can be integrated into learning:

So, it seems that the praying mantis is like – praying; the male is saying: ‘Please don’t eat me, Sylvia, please!’… (laughter) … and she would pray back and say, ‘Please, Ronnie, I can’t resist you.’ (laughter).

Sensitive to their learners’ preferences

Despite the classes being fun, Prof Pretorius also cautions that it is important for teachers to be sensitive to their learners’ preferences and cultural backgrounds when using humour. “There is always an element of risk in the use of humour. As such, humour should always be used in a respectful and inclusive manner to ensure that all learners feel comfortable and included in the classroom.”

Prof Pretorius recognises that the use of humour depends on educators’ personal preferences. Ultimately, it is about what the students learn.

Listen to Prof Jannie Pretorius talk about his research. 

News Archive

UFS/PUK Intervarsity - Results
2009-08-04

 KOVSIES / PUKKE INTERVARSITY 2009: UITSLAE / RESULTS  
           
  SPORT SPANNE                                                     TEAMS   UITSLAE / RESULTS
        PUKKE KOVSIES
1 GHOLF  /  GOLF MANS / MEN   4.5 1.5
           
  KARATE MANS / MEN   * *
    DAMES / LADIES   * *
2 BASKETBAL / BASKETBALL PUK UFS 40 72
3 PLUIMBAL/ BADMINTON PUK 1 KOVSIES 1 5 0
4   PUK 2 KOVSIES 2 5 0
5 VLUGBAL / VOLLEYBALL PUK KOVSIES 1 3
6 MUURBAL / SQUASH PUK UFS 2 4
  LANDLOOP / CROSS COUNTRY UV Mans / UFS Men PUK Mans * *
    UV Vroue / UFS Women PUK Vroue * *
  BASKETBAL / BASKETBALL UV Mans / UFS Men PUK Mans * *
7 SOKKER                               FOOTBALL UFS 1 MEN ALS PUK MEN 1 1
8 SOCCER     * *
9       * *
10 TENNIS UV MANS / UFS MEN PUK MANS * *
12 HOKKIE                               HOCKEY PUK 1 (V) KOVSIES (V) 3 0
13 HOCKEY PUK 2 (V) REDS (V) 4 1
14   PUK 1 (M) KOVSIES 1 (M) 3 1
15   PUK 2 (M) REDS (M) 1 3
16   VMN SOETDORING 1 0
17   WANDA VMN * *
18   REPUBLIEK WNB * *
19   OOSTERHOF HOBHOUSE * *
20   EXCELSIOR VERITAS 0 1
21   PATRIA TKV * *
22 NETBAL                              NETBALL PUK 1 KOVSIES 1 34 43
23 NETBALL PUK O/21 KOVSIES 3 24 31
24   PUK O/19 A KOVSIES 4 39 34
    PUK 2 KOVSIES 2 33 45
    PUK O/19 B HOBHOUSE 35 12
    EIKENHOF SONNEDOU 21 18
    KASTEEL ROOSMARYN 2 20 9
    DINKI MARJOLEIN 21 11
    OOSTERHOF ROOSMARYN 1 21 8
25   WANDA SOETDORING 1 26 3
26   KARLIEN SOETDORING 2 31 7
27   KLAWERHOF VMN 17 14
28   BELLATRIX WNB 19 16
29   MINJONETTE WNB 27 6
30 RUGBY PUK 1 SHIMLAS 20 6
31   IBBIES IRAWAS 21 6
32   PUK O/21 UV O/21 20 9
33   PUK O/19 UV O/19 12 8
34   PATRIA ARMENTUM 22 12
35   VILLAGERS KAREE 9 8
36   DE WILGERS VERITAS 27 7
37   HEIMAT VISHUIS 5 17
38   OVERS JBM 18 21
39   VERITAS  HEIMAT 11 15
  INTERVARSITY OPSOMMING / SUMMARY 2009    
        PUKKE KOVSIES
  WEDSTRYDE / GAMES     37 37
  GEWEN / WON     25 11
  VERLOOR / LOST     11 25
  GELYK / DRAWN     1 1

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