CCOG for MSD 187 archive revision 201403

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Effective Term:
Summer 2014 through Fall 2024

Course Number:
MSD 187
Course Title:
Humor in the Workplace
Credit Hours:
1
Lecture Hours:
10
Lecture/Lab Hours:
0
Lab Hours:
0

Course Description

Concentrates on the rediscovery of laughter and humor through situational humor to re-build human connection, improve individual health, kindle creativity, and establish perspective in a work world confused by strategies such as downsizing, reengineering, outsourcing, etc. Participants should be forewarned that sporadic laughter is entirely possible. Audit available.

Intended Outcomes for the course

  1. Apply humor appropriately in workplace interactions to reduce stress, enhance creativity, dissolve crises, and improve relationships.
  2. Demonstrate to the management of an organization the bottom line benefits to having a climate that encourages fun; how humor and laughter can aid in the celebration of people and organizational success.

Outcome Assessment Strategies

  • Various individual and/or group skill-building activities such as role-plays, case studies, or other exercises geared toward critical analysis of course concepts..
  • Written assignments or oral reports designed to integrate course material into personal experience or experiences of others.
  • Complete exams comprised of essay and/or objective questions, or an individual and/or team project or paper which requires integration, application, and critical examination of course concepts, issues, and themes.

Course Content (Themes, Concepts, Issues and Skills)

COMPETENCIES/SKILLS:

  • Reframing perspective to include humor
  • Reducing stress using humor
  • Laughter
  • Creative problem solving
  • Oral and written skills

CONCEPTS, THEMES & ISSUES:
General Concepts

  • Humor potential in everyday work life
  • Appropriate vs. inappropriate workplace humor
  • Improving relationships with humor
  • Humor can be learned
  • Good management incorporates humor
  • Humor provides stress relief & improved health

Themes

  • Relationship of humor to creativity
  • Stress reduction
  • Improving relationships

Issues

  • Differing perceptions of appropriate use of humor
  • Humor can be learned
  • Anyone can use humor
  • Inappropriate humor can be detrimental