GT+Weekly+Teaching+Strategy+Synectics

=GT TEACHING STRATEGY OF THE WEEK: SYNECTICS =

//Synectics was developed by William J. J. Gordon (1961) as a means to uncover the psychological mechanisms basic to creative activity and make those spontaneous or unconscious techniques conscious and teachable.

Synectics, from the Greek “syn” means the joining together of different and apparently irrelevant elements.

The process of Synectics has led to the invention of many well-known items such as Pringles Potato Chips, a trash compactor, disposable diapers, a Ford truck suspension system, operating table covers, and more.//


 * The basic Synectic process involves**

1) Making the Strange Familiar Understanding the problem - analytical phase.

2) Making the Familiar Strange Distorting, inverting, or transposing everyday ways of looking and responding to things, situations and problems.


 * Techniques to Make the Familiar Strange**

a) __Personal Analogy__- the thinker achieves new perspectives on a problem by imaginatively becoming part of the problem. //What would you be like if you were a completely disorganized desk?//

b) __Direct Analogy__ – the problem solver is asked to think of ways related problems have been solved- Analogies from nature are encouraged. How have bears, snakes, flowers, spiders, or dogs solved similar problems of organizing their environment?

c) __Symbolic Analogy or Compressed Conflict__ – the learner thinks of a two-word phrase that seems self-contradictory such as “ordered chaos” or “structured mess”. This phrase would relate to the problem and stimulate ideas. //How could the phrase “ordered chaos” help you devise solutions to the problem of your messy desk?//

d) __Fantasy Analogy__ – the problem solver thinks of fantastic, far-fetched, or possibly ideal solutions that can lead to creative yet practical ideas. //What would the ideal desk organizer be like?//


 * An example of an exercise from the Synectics workbook, //Teaching is Listening// (Gordon and Pose, 1972)

1. What animal typifies your concept of freedom? (Direct analogy)

2. Put yourself in the place of the animal you have chosen. Be the thing! Describe what makes you feel and act with so much freedom. (Personal analogy).

3. Sum up your description of the animal you chose by listing the “free” and “unfree” parts of your animal life. Free: Unfree:

4. Express each of these parts of your life in a single word. Put together these two words and refine them into a poetic, compressed conflict phrase.

5. Circle the phrase you like best. Write an essay about freedom. Use any material you may have developed during this exercise.