Semiotic Theory of Learning: New Perspectives in the Philosophy of Education

Semiotic Theory of Learning asks what learning is and what brings it about, challenging the hegemony of psychological and sociological constructions of learning in order to develop a burgeoning literature in semiotics as an educational foundation. Drawing on theoretical research and its application in empirical studies, the book attempts to avoid the problematization of the distinction between theory and practice in semiotics. It covers topics such as signs, significance and semiosis; the ontology of learning; the limits of learning; ecosemiotics; ecology and sexuality. The book is written by five of the key figures in the semiotics field, each committed to the belief that living is a process of interaction through acts of signification with a signifying environment. While the authors are agreed on the value of semiotic frameworks, the book aims not to present an entirely coherent line in every respect, but rather to reflect ongoing scholarship and debates in the area. In light of this, the book offers a range of possible interpretations of major semiotic theorists, unsettling assumptions while offering a fresh, and still developing, series of perspectives on learning from academics grounded in semiotics. Semiotic Theory of Learning is a timely and valuable text that will be of great interest to academics, researchers and postgraduates working in the fields of educational studies, semiotics, psychology, philosophy, applied linguistics and media studies.

Table of Contents:
Introduction Andrew Stables, Winfried Nöth, Alin Olteanu, Sebastien Pesce and Eetu Pikkarainen Section 1: Andrew Stables The Limits of Learning Andrew Stables The Semiotic Encounter Andrew Stables Semiosis, Education and Society: Affecting Encounters Andrew Stables Section 2: Winfried Nöth Education in the Domain of Thirdness Winfried Nöth Education in the Domain of Secondness Winfried Nöth Education in the Domain of Firstness Winfried Nöth Section 3: Alin Olteanu Ecosemiotics as a Theory of Learning Alin Olteanu Ecology, Love and Learning Alin Olteanu Sexuality as a Case of Ecological Learning Alin Olteanu Section 4: Sebastien Pesce From Comprehensive Research to Semiotic Approaches to Education: A Subjective Genealogy of Educational Semiotics Sebastien Pesce Signs, Significance and Semioses in the classroom: Multimodality, Narrativity, Dialogism and Rhetoric as Cornerstones of a Fully Semiotic Perspective on Teaching and Learning Sebastien Pesce Training Semiotically Wise Teachers: Rhetoric of Inquiry, Epistemology of Action and Habit Change Sebastien Pesce Section 5: Eetu Pikkarainen Learning and Semiotic Theory Eetu Pikkarainen Ontology of Learning (and Semiotics) Eetu Pikkarainen Human Learning: Education and Bildung Eetu Pikkarainen