While humor has long been documented as a useful teaching tool, it is almost entirely untheorized in terms of its potential for multicultural education. Specifically, the learning opportunities that racial comedic media offer in multicultural and anti-racist coursework is a particularly under-studied area, while research in this vein has great…

Academic integrity is a quality that all university students must understand and practice. Despite it being a compulsory part of the curriculum in any discipline, cases of violation still arise, suggesting an ineffective learning experience. The author addresses two issues in the teaching of academic integrity--content materials and modes of…

This article describes an instructional lesson the author developed to help students use parody to read and write original poetry. The author begins this article with an introduction to parody and a rationale for using it as an instructional strategy. Then, he describes materials and procedures he used and he shares samples of student writing. He…

In defining popular culture as inherently pleasurable, including the pleasures of transgression, the author argues that while art teachers now critique popular visual culture for its often-dubious ideologies, they are yet to come to terms with its transgressive pleasures. Teachers fail to engage with its carnivalesque, subversive qualities because…

This public-hearing case study is centered upon the recent decision by President George W. Bush to set NASA's primary goal as a return to the Moon, followed by a mission to Mars. The members on the expert panel are fictitious and the transcript contrived; however, the views expressed in the case study correspond to actual views held by leading…

Article emphasized the need for using humor in the classroom and how it can serve the teacher by helping with his instruction of subjects sometimes difficult to teach. (RK)

Suggests the use of parody to deepen students' understanding of how and why poems work. (TJ)

Student writers should be encouraged to move beyond a "jargon" or "public discourse" model of writing. This can be accomplished by capitalizing on the students' knack for imitation by turning it into public parody. After being divided into small panels of three, four, or five members, students are assigned a voice and topic and asked to develop a…

When assigned to do parodies of literary works, students explore a variety of legitimate parodic relationships of significant critical interest. (DD)

Argues that writing parodies of poetry is a productive, nonthreatening introduction to the creative effort of poem making. Provides several suggestions that may help in the parody-writing process. (RS)

Reports on a "summing up" assignment at the end of a course on the fiction of J. D. Salinger. Notes the way students used parodies to display their knowledge of Salinger's style and recurrent themes. Offers one student-written parody as an example. (RL)

Suggests helping students prepare for a test on Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar" by having them adapt verses of "Old MacDonald Had a Farm" with key elements and incidents from the play. (RL)

Explains that published parodies frequently give rise to copyright violation litigation. Reviews leading court decisions on the subject. Offers guidelines for using parody in entertainment, social commentary, or advertising. Describes a study unit on parody for a college magazine journalism class. (SG)

Explains how the use of parody can improve students' writing and add more zest, zing, and vigor to their writing style. (HOD)