Abstract:

It is clear from research (e.g., Donovan, 2020; Harris, 2018; Twenge, 2019) and from anecdotal data that “children today face more pressures from an early age, from social media to cyberbullying to increasingly competitive college admissions processes (Donovan, 2020, para. 1). A study of stress between 2015 and 2017 indicated that teenage stress has now surpassed the stress of adults (Twenge, 2019). It is clear that life for students has become more complex and educational policies regarding accountability and no-tolerance have added to the stress levels of students. Despite decades of evidence to the contrary (e.g., Caine, 2018; Caine et al., 2016; Gardner, Csikszentmihalyi, Damon, and, 2001; Hattie, 2012, 2018; Preble & Gordon, 2011; Robinson, 2017; Sinek, 2011; Sousa, 2017; Wagner, 2014) and the fact that we have signed onto the Bologna agreement (1999) to make education student-centered, the majority of schools continue to be curriculum, teacher, and test focused. Engagement and positive relationships, according to these psychologists, educators, and business leaders are two of the critical cornerstones to success. In this action research designed study the authors are working with students to assess the hypothesis: If we can introduce more fun into the teaching and learning process, students will be more relaxed, will develop more positive peer and teacher relationships, and will become more engaged in their work. The action research process is a cyclical and iterative process in which the teacher, in this case, identifies a problem, develops a process to improve the problem, implements the process, formatively assesses progress, develops adjustment based of the data, and continues implementation, repeating the formative assessment system until completion of the project. At that point, the data will be further analyzed in order to develop recommendations for the following semesters and to offer the results to colleagues, with recommendations for further research. Data is being collected in three ways: 1. Researcher Journal with observations of the professor relating to each class with students, 2. Artifacts in terms of homework, class work, final exam, and final grades, 3. Post-Study Survey in which students and professor will respond close-ended statements, using a 5-point Likert scale, and open ended asking students to give their opinions of the process and to make recommendations for the professor. The purpose of this study is to answer the research question: What effects will introducing fun into the teaching and learning process have on student and professor stress levels and engagement? Fun will be implemented in two ways during this study: 1. At the beginning of each class to set a cooperative and engaging environment (Johnson & Johnson, 2013) and 2. During the process of teaching and learning (Laurian-Fitzgerald & Fitzgerald, 2018). This process is continuing in spite of the fact that classes have been forced to change from face-to-face to online due to the current pandemic. The authors believe this study is even more relevant under the current circumstances.

Keywords:

Fun, engagement, class climate, student achievement, student stress, action research.