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Did you hear the one about the funny lecturer?

29 January 2024 | Story Igno van Niekerk | Photo Igno van Niekerk

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

"Learning more about ourselves, our group and the world at large..."

2011-09-28

For the latest news from our students abroad, you can follow us on twitter and join us on facebook.

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A group of 98 first-year students from our university departed from the Bloemfontein Campus’s International Offices to the OR Tambo International Airport on Thursday 22 September 2011. From there, they will be flying to New York, USA, via Dubai. Shortly after their arrival in New York, they will be welcomed by Dr Anthony Marx, the president of the NYPL.

The programme, a first in South Africa, kicked off in 2010 with 71 students visiting the USA.

The programme gives students intense exposure to the academic, social, cultural and residential lives of students abroad. A total of 150 UFS students are now part of the programme. The rest of the group of 2011 will leave for universities in Europe and Asia in January 2012.

Facebook and twitter comments from our students (unedited):

Thabiso Mike Letselebe (27/09/2011)
"having fun flyin to cleveland"

Eddie Bob DeWet (27/09/2011)
"‎...The city that NEVER sleeps NYC- no jokes!!!"

Marco D. Smit (27/09/2011)
"The group travelling to Minnesota University... We are having a great time, learning more about ourselves, our group and the world at large. Thank you for the grate opportunity!"

Vusi Mesatywa (27/09/2011)
"by Sherilyn Roelofse - Apart from the amazing beauty of the JMU campus (Harrisonburg, Virginia), I am taking in so much! It is amazing to see how everything functions here. I am astounded by the way the food system of the university works - it's so organised! I also love how there is always something happening on campus. For example, tonight we attended a session hosted by the Harrisonburg Fire Department and we had to move through a smoke filled room. drag a deadweight-dummy, and put out a fire. And yes, we have discovered that the American campus life is pretty much exactly what it looks like on movies! ;)"

Cecile Boshoff (26/09/2011)
"Appalacian State University is the best place ever!!!! We are all in love with this place!"

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