CUIN 6371 Models of Teaching Fall, 2003 Howard L. Jones Day 6 Synectics

CUIN 6371Models of Teaching

Fall, 2003Howard L. Jones

Day 6

Synectics

Information Information ProcessingProcessing Inductive - Jerome Bruner/

Hilda Taba Deductive - David Ausubel Inquiry - J. J. Schwab/J. Richard Suchman

Jean Piaget/ L. Kohlberg

Memory - R. Atkinson/J. Levin/J. Lucas

Creativity - W. J. J. Gordon

Together, we analyze a little humor Are these FUNNY, OK, or

NOT FUNNY?…

Synectics – diverse elements together

Learning through making connections

“A writer lives in awe of words for they can be cruel or kind, and they can change their meanings right in front of you. They pick up flavors and odors like butter in a refrigerator.”

John Steinbeck (1902-1968)

Gordon’s Assumptions Creativity is important in

everyday activities The process of creativity is

not mysterious Creative invention is the

same in all fields Creative thinking, as wells as

individual and group invention are very similar

Our Role as Teachers…

Bringing the creative process to consciousness…

Recalling that the emotional component of creativity is often more important that the intellectual, the irrational more important than the rational

Finally….Assisting students in analyzing certain irrational and emotional processes and, in doing so, increasing creative expression.

Blocks to Creativity… One right answer That’s not logical Follow the rules Be practical Avoid ambiguity Play is frivolous Don’t be foolish I’m not creative

Roger van Oech – “A Whack on the Side of the Head”

Synectics Moves

Pick a topic, any topicMaking the Strange

FamiliarMaking the Familiar

Strange

Synectics Moves Stretching Exercises… How is a shower bath like a rainy day? How is a prison like a rainy day? How is a laugh like a rainy day? How is a school like a salad? How is a computer keyboard like Jello? How are parents like frozen yogurt? If the ocean were a sea of teachers,

what would the foam be?

More Stretching Exercises…. Which smells better, a rotting rose or

a sweet skunk? Is an onion louder than a lie? How

come? Which is more likely, a screaming

mouse or a quiet drum? Which gains more speed, a falling

body or a rumor? Who is more sour, a Tory in Boston in

1776 or a lemon?

Synectics Moves

Stretching Exercises Direct Analogy

How is a bear like a cat? How is a principal like a dragon?

How is a whisper like a kitten’s fur? How is a Priest like a doormat?

How are parentheses like a fence?

Direct Analogy How is a volcano like a cut? What animal makes you think of George

Washington in his predicament at Valley Forge

What things around him could have given ancient man his first notion of the wheel?

What animal might the Eskimos have learned how to hunt seals?

What in nature might have led to the invention of the zipper?

How could a caveman have invented the concept of clothes from looking at a bear?

Direct Analogy Which is worse, America in 1812 with no tax base or a tree with no nutrients

in its soil?

In 1812, all American ships were held in their home ports under an embargo. So such

economic damage was caused that finally American ships were allowed to trade with

anyone BUT France and England. How is a fox that is chased into its den

like an embargo? How is enforcing an embargo like

Boyle’s Law?

Direct AnalogyA magnet is made of tiny magnets, all lined up so that their north poles face in one direction and the south poles

face in the other. How is a well-disciplined marching regiment

like a magnet? What would the soldiers of the parading

regiment do if a bomb fell in their midst? If a magnet acts like the soldiers. What do

you think would happen if you strike a magnet with a hammer?

Synectics Moves

Stretching ExercisesDirect Analogy

Personal Analogies/Metaphors

Personal Metaphor

You are a weed growing in the middle of a neighbor’s yard…how do you feel? What’s it like living there, especially knowing that you came from another yard? How do you feel when he discovers you? How does the lawn mower feel? How about the herbicide?

Synectics Moves

Stretching ExercisesDirect Analogy

Personal Analogies/Metaphors

Compressed Conflicts“words that fight each other,”

Oxymorons

Compressed Conflicts …aka Oxymorons

Know anyone who is an “exquisite irritant”?

How is an embargo like “vulnerable protection?”

How is Hemmingway’s life and writing exemplary of a “controlled adventure?”

Can any part of football be equated with “dance-like violence?”

N S N S

N S s N

Mnemonics

Synectics

The Original The Topic Topic Revisited

How Synectics Works

We Explore Elsewhere

Synectics Moves Stretching Exercises

Direct Analogy Personal

Analogies/Metaphors Compressed Conflicts“words that fight each other,”

Oxymorons Revisit the Original Topic

A brief paragraph … TAKS

Synectics Moves Stretching Exercises

Direct Analogy Personal

Analogies/Metaphors Compressed Conflicts“words that fight each other,”

Oxymorons Revisit the Original Topic

Synectics Moves

Pick a topic, any topicMaking the Strange

FamiliarMaking the Familiar

Strange

Effects of the Synectics Model

Nurturant Achievement

in Subject Domain

Group Cohesion and Productivity

Instructional General

Creative Capacity

Creative Capacity in Subject Domain

So, how does this model work?

J. Dominic Crossan (1975)The Dark Interval: Toward a Theology of Story

Types ofStory

Relation-Ship to World

Examples

Estab- Defends Inves- Attacks Subvertslishes world tigates world worldworld world

“We live in story like fish in a sea…”Dominic Crossan


Types ofStory


Examples


MYTH

You have built a lovely home!


Types ofStory


Examples


MYTH Apologue

The home was built according to themost reasonable plans


Types ofStory


Examples


MYTH Apologue Action

Within the home are people who have many adventures.


Types ofStory


Examples


MYTH Apologue Action Satire

However, the behaviors of the home area bit weird and unusual.


Types ofStory


Examples


MYTH Apologue Action Satire Parable

Unfortunately, the home is rightabove a major earthquake fault.

The Original The Topic Topic Revisited

How Synectics Works

We Explore Elsewhere

So how about our humor?

My point?

Next …

The Existential Models…

Documents

CUIN 6371 Models of Teaching Fall, 2003 Howard L. Jones Day 6 Synectics