1) In his writings, Shank describes the law of juxtaposition. Essentially, he says that we can juxtapose (contrast, compare, and separate) any two items and learn about each from the other. The act of engaging in such a comparison may be considered an educational endeavor informed by the semiotic tradition. See if Shank is right. Compare and contrast any two unlikely items: a horse and a swimming pool, one of Shakespear's sonnets and a baseball game, a classroom and a cannery. Take some time to detail you thoughts in writing. Go out on a limb and write down specific thoughts. Then, reflect on the process and see if you have learned anything about the objects, your relationship to them, or your relationship to the world.
2) Choose a common event from your life. Identify a series of signs for this event. Be sure to include signs of varying type. Now consider what signs another person might choose for this same event. How do these signs vary by age of the sign maker, by historical period in which they live, by events within the "cultural envelope?"
3) If Cunningham and Shank are correct in their
statements concerning the impact of Semiotic theory on education,
what specific changes will have to be made in the setting in
which you help other individuals create knowledge? Are there
specific activities that you will need to abandon? Are there
other activities you will need to start?
Links to Resources
TIP: There are not 8 specific ideas that you will be able to locate anywhere labeled as the "8 Basic Ideas." Therefore, it may be best to generate a list of important concepts, and work on you own to define and prioritize.
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