SYNECTICS

FOCUS
Designed to facilitate the production of new ideas and solutions to problems by
broadening perspectives, generating clearer and more creative expression, and fostering
empathic cooperation.

PROCESS
First Stage: Description of the present situation
· The teacher asks the students to describe the condition or situation in the
manner in which they perceive it.
Second Stage: Direct Analogy
· Students suggest direct analogies, select one, and explore it by describing it
with additional details.
Third Stage: Personal analogy
· Students place themselves in the analogy.
Fourth Stage: Compressed conflict
· Students take their descriptions form the previous two phases, suggest various
compressed conflicts, and select one of these compressed conflicts.
Fifth Stage: Direct analogy
· Students generate and select another direct analogy, based on the compressed
conflict.
Sixth Stage: Reexamination of the original task
· The teacher asks the students to return to the original problem and utilize this
most recent analogy and/or the entire synectic experience

APPLICATION
· The model has been employed with good results in the development of
creative writing, in the exploration of social problems and the resolution of
personal problems, in the creation of a new design or product, and in simply
broadening the perspective of a student regarding a certain concept.
· The model functions effectively with students who have difficulties with
traditional learning activities due to the fact that they do not want to risk being
wrong. On the other hand, high-achieving students that only feel comfortable
when giving a response that they are sure is correct may feel less inclined to
participate.
· For small children, it is usually better to conduct simple exercises of direct
analogies, personal analogies, or compressed conflicts without attempting to
follow through the entire sequence or elate the process to a specific problem
or situation.

RESULTS
Direct Results
· Creative capacity in general is enhanced
· Creative capacity in the subject studies is stimulated
Indirect Results
· Higher levels of achievement in the subject studied
· Greater cooperation and group productivity
Source: Joyce, Weil, & Calhoun (2000). Models of teaching. Needham Heights, MA:
Allyn and Bacon.