LOLsquared: When laughing-out-loud and learning-on-line intermingle in a computer-mediated classroom discussion

Abstract The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the relationship that emerges between learning and humor when students are participating in computer-mediated classroom discussions. Graduate students enrolled in one of two sections of a hybrid seminar participated in synchronous online chats as a regular part of class. Conceptualizing learning as a process that reflects psychological change and humor as a social phenomenon that can support psychological well-being, transcripts were analyzed and coded for learning and humor. Analyses revealed that although a single comment was rarely coded for both learning and humor, these two constructs reflect an intermingling relationship throughout the socially-shared and co-created text of the online discussion. These findings contribute to our understanding of how students engaged in a computer-mediated discussion navigate the cognitive and social demands of the online context.

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