EDUC 231 CLASSROOM DYNAMICS

SYNECTICS

Synectics as an instructional model is a “disciplined” technique for thinking through problems

through a creative process. Its basis is to help students see old ideas in new ways.

Theoretical Perspective
The etymology of synectics traces its Greek roots: syn means to bring together and etics
refers to diverse elements. At the heart of the synectics lesson is the teachers’ ability to use
various forms of metaphoric thinking such as similes, metaphors, personification, and oxymorons.
Metaphorical thinking causes students to look at reality in different ways.
Synectics was first introduced by William Gordon. His notion was that creativity was and is
a fundamental part of everyday activity. It is not special ability, but if fostered properly by the
teacher, it can be extremely useful in enhancing the problem-solving potential of students. All
students have an ability to be creative if they understand the process of creative thought and if
they learn some strategies for engaging in creative problem-solving. Because creative
exploration is not necessarily the “right” of one student, it is possible for students to learn to be
creative both individually and cooperatively. Both individuals and groups can learn to create
ideas in similar ways if they understand how to make conceptual “excursions”. An excursion is
nothing more than a process of seeing problems in new ways. The steps in making a conceptual
excursion are:
1. Put the problem temporarily out of mind. This enables one to get distance from the
problem he or she is working on.
2. Deliberately focus on apparent irrelevancy. This can generate surprising or unusual
connections.
3. Force-fit the irrelevant material together with the problem and allow your mind to
invent a way of connecting them. Force-fitting is a trick of the mind. Our mind
automatically struggles to fit new connections into an existing pattern or to create a
new pattern. Being open to that new pattern or line of thought will help produce
ideas that are both useful and original.

TEACHING PHASES

Phase I: The Topic

The lesson begins once the teacher determines what concept the students should fully
explore. The teacher asks students to share descriptive words or phrases that they associate with
the topic. The teacher then writes these terms on the board as they are being shared.

Example: Opera (Topic)

Descriptive terms
long music expensive
several acts singing hatred
costume treachery lots of people

Phase II: Direct Analogy

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Once the terms are listed, the teacher asks the student to think of something that they
would associate with those terms listed. The class generates a long list of potential analogical
ideas then students choose one among these ideas. This becomes the direct analogy of the
topic. The teacher should make sure that the direct analogy is understood by every student in
class.

Example:
Baseball because the games are long, the players wear uniforms, etc.

Hockey because the players seem to hate one another and have to wear cumbersome,
expensive uniforms.

Football because of the pageantry and the large number of people who watch in the stadium.

Phase III: Personal Analogy

In this phase the students describe what it feels like to be the object (concept) and the
analog. In this phase they attempt to “lose themselves” in the concept. The students should
provide a brief explanation justifying the term. The teacher solicits student responses and requires
that students defend their responses with a “because” statement.

Example:
Personal Analogy Statements

Energized because of the cheering of the Dirty because I am muddy after the game.
audience.

Beautiful because my costume or uniform is Protected because of my equipment.

so expensive.

Tired because the game is so long.

Phase IV: Compressed Conflict

In this phase the students look at the descriptive terms used during the personal analogy
phase and then combine those terms that tend to be opposite one another. The combined
words conceptually fit together (for example, beautiful and dirty are adjectives describing how
one looks), yet contradictory when found in nature (that is, how can one be both beautiful and
dirty?). The students should generate as many compressed conflicts as they can identify. The
students then choose which of the compressed conflicts they like best (e.g. beautiful and dirty).

Phase V: New Analogy

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The teacher asks the students to create a new direct analogy. The teacher takes the
compressed conflict (beautiful and dirty) and asks the students to identify some objects that
have these compressed conflict qualities. After the students generate a number of new
possibilities, the teacher then asks them to select the one that they like best.

Example:
An engine in a car (The engine is dirty, but the car is beautiful.)
A “dirt” in a cake as a dessert (The cake looks messy once eaten, but it is beautiful just before
the dessert is sliced and distributed.)

Phase VI: Topic Refocus

In this phase, the teacher begins to revisit the original topic. Then the teacher asks the
students to consider how the original topic (opera) is like the new analogy (car). The students
then generate as many ideas as possible.

Example:
An opera needs music, a car requires gasoline.
An opera needs a conductor, and a car requires a driver.

Phase VII: Extension

After a student have generated a substantial list of new ideas concerning the concept,
the teacher should begin to critically extend some of the students’ ideas. The teacher might for
example, have the students write a description of what it means to “run” an opera, or to
develop a report on all the different elements that need to be in place if an opera is to “run”
effectively.

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