Transcript Instructional Design Models for School Health Education Synectics

Instructional Design Models for
School Health Education
Synectics Model
(Creative Process for Secondary Education)
Power Point created by Erika Russell
Sandra L. Owen
Professional Education Faculty
Dept. Kinesiology and Health
Georgia State University
Copyright, 2006
The development of the Synectics Model
is attributed to William J. J. Gordon, 1961
“ The basic tools of learning are
analogies that serve as connectors
between the new and the
familiar…good teaching traditionally
makes ingenious use of analogies and
metaphors to help students visualize
content.” (William J.J. Goodman)
Gordon’s Four Distinct States
1. Detachment & involvement: A change
in perspective in which the person
moves from distant to the problem to
connected and committed to the
problem;
2. Deferment: Prevent premature closure
and entertain other possible solutions;
3. Speculation: Once free from premature
closure, the person can critically
consider the consequences of each
possible solution;
4. Autonomy of Subject: The feeling that
the solution to the problem has taken
over and is working itself out; it is that
warm feeling of “being right” long
before there is a rationale.
Initial Description
• What is the problem statement?
• What are the possible specific factors of
the problem?
• Where in the lesson does detachment &
involvement, deferment, speculation, and
autonomy occur?
• Describe how the lesson generates ideas
by referring, reflecting, and
reconstructing
• Offer an example of direct, personal, and
symbolic analogies specific to the
problem
• Provide lesson goal and objective
statements
Generating Ideas With Synectics
• Referring involves gathering information and
defining the problem
• Reflecting involves using a variety of
techniques to generate ideas
• Reconstructing involves synthesizing ideas to
create a useful solution.
Generating Ideas With Synectics
(Further Discussion)
1. Referring
•
•
•
Define problem
Research contributing factors
Identify typical solutions
2. Reflecting
•
•
Seek comparisons and associations with other
situations that might provide a non-typical solution
Comparisons are made through analogies
3. Reconstructing
•
Rationally evaluate ideas generated in the
Reflecting Phase bringing them together to form
practical and useful solutions
Three Types of Analogies:
Seeking Relationships
1. Direct Analogy: comparison between two things
Example: Veins are like a plumbing system.
2. Personal Analogy: the student becomes an element
within the problem; the goal is empathy
Example: How would you feel if you were a tree
attacked by acid rain?
3. Symbolic Analogy: descriptions that appear to be
contradictory, yet are actually creative insight
Example: When is silence deafening?
Application of the Synectics Model to the Seven
Components of the Health Lesson Plan (example)
Goal Statement
– The student will understand the relationship between low
self-esteem and obesity.
Objective Statement
– The student will apply three creative solutions to
improving self-esteem.
Anticipatory Set (Step One: Present the problem, excite
interest)
– Problem: Low self-esteem makes a person more vulnerable to
stress, depression, and subsequent weight gain.
– Activity: Have each student write two derogatory
statements about weight; statements are passed on to a
peer and read back to the originator; reflections on
personal feelings are shared
Teaching Cues (Step Two: Provide Expert Information)
– This is where content information would be provided
using technology or print materials.
Teacher Modeling (Explanation for Step 6, explanation
of analogies)
– Direct Analogy: How is your personality like a
snowflake?
– Personal Analogy: What does a personality with low
self-esteem look like?
– Symbolic Analogy: How can you smile
when everything is going wrong?
Student Activity (Steps 3-8, this occurs in small groups)
– Step 3: Brainstorm obvious solutions to the problem,
write down solutions, and hand paper in to teacher—
these solutions cannot be used in the final outcome
– Step 4 & 5: Each small group generates several
specific problem statements related to the original
problem statement and selects one they want to
solve. Eg. Retail stores selling designer jeans in only
small sizes
– Step 6: Direct, personal, and
symbolic analogies are developed
– Step 7: Force analogies to fit the problem
– Step 8: Determine a solution from the new viewpoint
Evaluation: reflection on the process
– How unique was the group’s solution to the problem? Explain.
– How effective was the group in creating new insights together?