While student stress and anxiety are frequently cited as having negative effects on students' academic performance, the role that instructors can play in mitigating these challenges is often underappreciated. We provide summaries of different evidence-based strategies, ranging from changes in instructional strategies to specific classroom…

The use of humour in teaching and learning can be contentious, with some authors suggesting that the efficacy of humorous materials is mediated by the culture of the student. Nevertheless, humour represents a potential vehicle for the introduction of active learning in a classroom setting, as judicious use of humour may lead to a more relaxed…

This paper explores a variety of practices and classroom activities that engage the whole student. Grounded in a somatic perspective (from "soma" meaning the body in its wholeness--the integration of thinking, feeling, and acting), the discussion shows how students can be brought fully into learning through movement, music, and…

Best-selling author Marcia L. Tate brings her trademark "dendrite-growing" teaching strategies to this practitioner-friendly collection of brain-compatible methods for engaging K-12 students in social studies. Included are 20 proven strategies and more than 200 grade-leveled activities for applying them. Teachers will find concrete ways to…

The author taught information literacy skills courses at the University of Notre Dame and created active learning exercises including a pirate theme to simulate searching for buried treasure (information inside of databases). This article provides examples of cartoons, quotations, and humor used in both classes.

Discussion of academic library instruction focuses on the use of humor to make it more effective. Highlights include a literature review on humor in education, as a communication device, and use in the business sector; a stand-up comedy workshop; lecture humor; and humorous active learning activities. (LRW)