HUMOR IN GEOLOGY IS SERIOUS BUSINESS

The use of humor as a teaching tool is serious business. We try to use humor as a technique in presenting geological concepts and facts. This approach is particularly effective in three courses taken largely by non-science majors - Introductory Geology; Natural Disasters and Civilizations; and Geology of North America. We attempt to use humor to:

(1) Get students to listen to what is being said, rather than simply writing down everything the lecturer says. The example (Introductory Geology) concerns the Big Bang Theory, along with its opposite concept-the Gnab Gib theory.

(2) Introduce various geological topies, from igneous rocks and volcanoes to glaciers. The example (Introductory Geology) concerns the introduction to glaciers and ice ages. We show how Native Americans lived with an age of ice and not only survived, but thrived and expanded. We then show how a future ice age might affect modern civilization.

(3) Explain geological topics and as an aid in remembering geological facts. The example is from the Geology of North America. Students remember the geology of the Sierra Nevada and the history of the 1849 Gold Rush because they heard it "first-hand" during an unexpected visit to the classroom by a grizzled old "Forty-Niner" prospector. (He has also been invited to appear here in Boston.)

We use humor for the above purposes, in moderation, and find it works well. Meeting students years later and having them tell you that they remember a particular topic because they can still recall the humor associated with it, makes much of what we do seem worthwhile. Humor can also have a positive effect on teaching evalutions.