Synectics
There are thinkers who come up with lots and lots of ideas with no apparent thought to "workable." The wildest of thoughts and the lack of imposed guidelines result in truly divergent thinkers. - Robin Williams

Synectics are:
teaching approaches using metaphors and analogy to increase the understandings of students about a particular topic or issue. They can also help develop student's ability to think creatively because it can deliberately force strange things together and form uncommon connection.

They are useful in:

1. helping students move their thinking from the literal to non-literal

2. guiding students to identifying similarities and differences to enhance students' understanding of and ability to use knowledge.

3. assisting students to identify similarities and differences which enhances students' understanding of and ability to use knowledge.

4. enhancing student understanding through representing similarities and differences in graphic or symbolic form.

5. enriching projects and writing by giving students another form of representation.

How do I do it? What does it look like? How do I assess? How can I learn more? What is it?

Best Practices: Pieces of the Puzzle

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