Designing, building, and teaching an online course is ungodly time-consuming. Asking instructors to also hunt for humorous material can feel like adding another task to an already overwhelming to-do list.
Teachers need help.
Fortunately, the best assistants are already in the class.
Your students.
One strategy I use is an extra-credit activity called “Contributing Editor.” Students search for humor related to course topics—memes, clips, cartoons, jokes, or funny observations—and submit them for possible use in the course.
The assignment has two requirements:
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Cite the humor source.
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Explain how the example relates to the course concept.
I’ve used this activity in courses ranging from psychology and statistics to thanatology. Students enjoy the scavenger hunt, and instructors get a steady supply of fresh material.
Another option is to create an After-Hours Club discussion board where students can post humorous course-related observations, jokes, or links to amusing content.
I typically reserve this activity for upper-division classes. Older students are usually better at exercising judgment in an open forum.
That brings us to the most important rule:
Provide very clear guidelines.
Without detailed—very detailed—instructions about what counts as appropriate humor, students will submit a steady stream of questionable material.
Expect submissions featuring BoJack Horseman, South Park, or whatever show currently terrifies administrators.
When students become your humor scouts, you lighten your own workload and increase engagement at the same time.
Just remember:
If you don’t define appropriate humor…
your students definitely will.
