How learning techniques initiate simulation of human mind

The simulation of human mind often helps in the understanding of abstract concept by representing it in a realistic model and simplistic way so that a learner develops an understanding of the key concepts. Bian (1873) and James (1890) in their work suggested that thoughts and body activity result from interactions among neurons within the brain. This paper explains how the usage of synectic technique helps in experiencing and exploring a broad range of environments, objects and phenomena within the walls of the classroom through simulation which makes learning more straightforward and intuitive for many students; and supports a constructivist approach to learning. Human mind analogues to modern day computer could enable virtual reality for the students to encounter abstract concepts as well as to control their learning. A study was conducted on student teachers using the survey method on the effectiveness of synectics linked to the simulation of human mind. The result of survey revealed that synectic technique is an effective approach for improving students' learning in concept formation, skill development and content area knowledge.


INTRODUCTION
The word synectics was derived from the Greek word synectikos which means "bringing forth together" or "bringing different things into unified connection."By definition synectics thinking is the process of discovering the links that unite seemingly disconnected elements.It is a way of mentally taking things apart and putting them together to furnish new insight for all types of problems.Recent research has proved synectic thinking technique stimulates creative thinking, mobilizes both the sides of the brain the right brain (the dreamer) and the left brain (the reasoner) which provides a free thinking state of consciousness.It is based on analogic thinking, fusion of opposites, synergetic, converts ordinary perceptions to extraordinary ones by generating new ideas.Gordon (1961) explained synectics as an approach to creative thinking that is often used by students to develop creative responses to problem solving, to retain new information, to assist in generating writing, and to explore social and disciplinary problems.Its main tool is analogy or metaphor.Couch (1993) suggested that the teacher facilitators should extract ideas from the students to establish similarities and dissimilarities between the two words namely atomic structure and solar system in teaching chemistry or physics.The usage of synectic lesson plan E-mail: girija60@rediffmail.com.Tel: 9444582809.
Authors agree that this article remain permanently open access under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0 International License of a particular topic in a specific curriculum should be based on the following phases: 1. Phase I: Substantive Input (The teacher presents the new topic) 2. Phase II: Direct Analogy (The teacher suggests an analogy and asks students to explain it) 3. Phase III: Personal Analogy 4. Phase IV: Comparing Analogies (Students point out the similarities between the new material and the direct analogy) 5. Phase V: Explaining Differences (Students recognize where the analogy breaks down) 6. Phase VI: Exploration (Students re-explore the original material) 7. Phase VII: Generating Analogy (Students repeat the analogy process in small groups; this time creating their own analogies).
The usage of synectics is based on constructivist philosophy suggested by Jean Piaget (1971).According to him children in the preoperational state of cognitive development understand in a better manner through their personal analogies which is a component of synectics as it engages otherwise uninterested students in classroom activities."Students are stimulated when they are excited and encouraged when they produce original ideas related to significant subject matter.Ormrod (2006) suggested that Peer interaction also enables students to benefit from distributed cognition as they co construct knowledge by working together.The research work done by cognitive psychologists has shown learning tendencies by classifying left right brain hemisphere dominance, mind-styles, and multiple intelligences.Synectics is especially valuable in classrooms of diverse thinkers because it accommodates the vast array of learning styles in each system.Brain imaging techniques like EEG (Electroencephalogram) revealed that the brain's left hemisphere is logical, analytical, verbal and sequential, while its right hemisphere is intuitive, conceptual, nonverbal and pattern-seeking.A band of neural fibers called the corpus callosum connects the two otherwise independent hemi-spheres and transmits information between them and it was also found that individuals exhibit tasks which favor either left -or right brain dominance whereas the usage of synectics is logical to infer that an individual's learning is most complete and integrated when it involves both halves of the brain.

Relationship between synectics and simulations
The practice of synectics techniques generates thoughts considered as software and brain as the computer capable of creating simulations to enable students understand abstract concepts by providing a fertile learning environment.For example, to explain the structure of atom, if a teacher uses synectic technique comparing the atomic structure to that of solar system produces simulation in the mind of the learner through experiencing the particular event, observing and reflecting on that, formulating abstract concepts and generalizations around that, and then testing their implications of their concepts in new situations as suggested by Koble (1994).According to Galarneau (2004), simulations generated by a computer, human made machine built for goal-based learning, internalizing processes, understanding systems, decision-making, perspective-shifting, team-building cooperation" etc mind simulations generated by one's own thought process make it appear as real situation to mind's eye.The following similarities could be drawn based on computer simulations and human mind simulations.
The model in Figure 1 explains that synectic technique when practiced in the teaching learning process could generate mind simulations similar to computer simulation.

Objectives of the study
1. To find the effectiveness of synectic technique in teaching -learning process.2. To find the performance of students with respect to their academic achievement as the result of mind simulations

Research questions
1. Is there significant improvement in the academic achievement of students as a result of mind simulations?2. How could synectic technique bring mind simulations?

Sample
The sample consists of 100 students (Boys and Girls in the age group); 15 to 17 years were selected for the study.30 Boys and 25 girls were randomly selected as experimental group given training to use analogies in order to understand the concepts.The remaining was treated as control group.

METHODOLOGY
The teacher trainees were asked to use the teaching learning model involving five inter related steps (Figure 2).To begin with teacher trainee introduces the concept to students using suitable analogies.The students are encouraged to use their own analogies and to compare the analogies as mentioned by the teacher explore the analogies in order to understand the concepts.This methodology is followed for six weeks.At the end of six weeks, the students were tested in their academic achievement.The result of the experiment is given in Table 1; it shows the significant differences between pre and post academic achievement test between boys and girls of the experimental group.

Table 1 .
The result of the experiment.p<0.05, **p<0.01,***p<0.001,N.S=not significant."t" value was found to be significant for the experimental group showing that using analogies in teaching learning process helps students to understand the concepts in a better way. *