Summary of Articles Concerning Semiotic Pedagogy - Annotated Bibliography Example

 Annotated Bibliography Smith-shank, D, L. (1950). Northern Illinois university: Reflections on semiotics, visual culture, and pedagogy, Smith, here, talks about contemporary art education and its moderate shift from a discipline based modernism approach towards a more semiotic and interdisciplinary oriented notions. She further describes the links between the latter approach with pragmatism and plays of musement, with regard to Charles Sanders Peirce’s ideas. Contemporary art education, in term of being more semiotic, describes how codes, signs, and their interactions enable one to rethink original the process of learning and teaching art. It a broad approach that enables a further understanding of the nature of life; its meaning, behavior, and culture. In the past, learning art only entailed being taught the history of art, art aesthetics, and art criticism. This approach relied on the concept of art being a disciplinary subject where signs and codes were disregarded. However, involving semiotics enables the development of this approach in order to perceive art as interdisciplinary. In other words, Smith argues that art also involves the coding and decoding of visual culture. This approach has largely depended on the current technological innovations, especially in the IT sector. Charles Pierce, in the nineteenth century predicted this development in literature by saying that further instructions in the process of teaching and learning will need to be included n the future as the world evolved. For instance, art teachers base their ideas on their own reflections, experiences, and interests. Understanding, thinking, and making connections between these factors enable their ideas to make sense. Moreover, Pierce argues that these factors describe the goals of contemporary semiotic pedagogy. Smith-Shank, D. L. (2003). Northern Illinois University: Intersections of Semiotics and Visual pedagogy. Visual Arts Research, 28(2), 57-63. The author tries to aid the location of the exact intersection points of semiotics and art education. Furthermore, other than find this point of intersection, Smith-Shank (2003), seeks to identify the signs backed by symbols in different cultures that contribute in the formation of art education. Therefore, this research aims at discovering the fine art and artifacts, inclusive of cultures that contributed in their formation, and pin pointing their relevance in art education. On attainment of this relevance supported by the surrounding values, then it can be incorporate in art education for purposes of instilling knowledge or such. Moreover, for decades now, art serves the purpose of bridging the transmission of diverse cultures in different communities. Therefore, culture facilitates the learning of culture, its transmission, maintenance and effective modification from generation to generation. This aspect of using art for the transmission of knowledge by different cultures illustrates effectiveness since art does not encounter textual limits. The art education field utilizes this knowledge about art to learn the sign systems within different cultural groups’ artworks and artifacts and deriving targeted concepts from the available explicit. In turn, this facilitates critical response from the respective learners thus facilitating knowledge of the multiple ways that certain cultures organize and understand their significant worlds. Smith-Shank, D. L. (2009). Northern Illinois University:Semiotic Pedagogy and Visual Culture Curriculum, 1-13. At the outset, the author asserts that visual signifiers serve as powerful propellers for learning cultures. Through them, the learned culture progresses to transmission from one person to another or through generations as time elapses. They also make it possible to maintain the culture within certain pre-set boundaries for various reasons; secret keeping to avoid misuse and misinterpretation or for modification purposes. The aspect of modification sets in when the current generation in certain cultures seeks to change something that was once believed to be the way of life but does not apply as effectively in the current times. In the end, these systematic transfers of knowledge serve to envision other cultures, and at times adoption of certain aspects of the culture in perception. The author further explains that the study of the multiple intersection visual sign systems within certain cultures and depicted through artworks and artifacts aids in clarifying the contents of a culture. This clarity in turn enhances the culture’s content explicit thus facilitating for critical responses in its regard. In most instances, it assists learners through their educational quests in search of better understanding the manifold of ways of organization of diverse cultures, subsequent development and communication. Moreover, modern-day art education makes use of many semiotic tools in interdisciplinary settings aimed at exploring the various ways that visual signification influences modern living. However, this approach to art education is influenced by the existing hypothesis on education and musement plays along pragmatism. Nonetheless, the different notions on the actual importance of a community hinder this approach. Krug, D. H. (2003). Symbolic Culture. Symbolic Culture and Art education, 56(2) 13 - 19. Krug (2003), starts by posing a question. He asks if the critically acclaimed works of art will disappear to welcome a broader range of art, commercial media or a visual culture. To answer this question, the author clarifies that the genius behind this and the masterpiece as well will not disappear in the context of visual culture. However, aspects such as status, power and affordable kind of pleasure by the beholders will switch to objects ritually restated in the unquestionable monuments. Relevantly, this statement indirectly supports the study of symbolic cultural products and practices of visual culture. It also chains the study of both visible and invisible cultural attributes based on the complexity of the present contextual conditions. Furthermore, the author believes that the best step towards the thesis question is to study or rather examine the complexity of contextual and symbolic cultural relationships. A keen assessment of this relationship better illustrates how the symbolic cultural relationships undergo production and reproduction in the field of art education. Subsequently, the knowledge clarifies on the use and consumption of these features. The present existence of various forms commercial media further leads the author into believing that advertisements act as major infiltrations of students’ daily lives. This argument hence depicts popular culture as the creative practice of different peoples’ ways of life. Evidently, it opposes the media’s perception that popular culture relies on people’s daily symbolic use as well as transformation of consumer goods. Notably, symbolic culture spreads beyond the media and similar theories as illustrated by art education. Smith-Shank, D. L. (1995). Northern Illinois University: Semiotic Pedagogy and Art Education. Journal of Issues and Research, 36(4), 233-241. The author bases this research on Pierce’s insistence that educational institutions were developed to serve the purpose of learning rather than offering instruction. Pierce, Charles Sanders is termed as the father of American Semiotics and pragmatism. The author argues that semiotics is the most appropriate way especially for incorporation in rethinking the learning and teaching process in art. Smith-Shank (1995), identifies the three most basic semiotic issues and further describes several classroom activities depicting the relevance to a proposed alternative pedagogy in the field of art education. The author further states that in order to move away from the dominant hierarchical model of teaching and learning, the necessity to develop a comparatively different framework sets in. This framework of pedagogy under development, based on semiotics triggers the urge to reconsider the roles of all involved in the educational endeavors. In other words, this reconsideration is termed as “semiotic pedagogy.” The key contributor to this is the fact that semiotics places an emphasis on codes, signs as well as their interactions. In turn, this emphasis leads to the understanding and effective incorporation of the processes in concern. Furthermore, the use of semiotics in understanding the art of education aids the rethinking of the parameters assumed to be actively constraining the art education field. Evidently, this process proves to focus at improving the learning process through an effective improvement in the teaching process. This research therefore seeks to redefine the obligations and roles of both teachers and students with regard to learning activities. Han, Sandrine. (2011). Education, Semiotics, and the Virtual World of Second Life. The International Journal of Arts Education, 53-73. Han (2011), initially asserts that the study of present-day semiotics circles on the different ways that lead to creation of meaning and subsequent representation of reality. This argument translate to the reality that the virtual world existent in the second life, which is also known as the role-playing game, has been adapted as another educational environment. This approach to visual culture, based solidly on semiotic ground, perceives images as translators of meaning in every culture. In that, every culture holds its own “vehicle” of the images passed from generation to generation in form of cultural knowledge that aids in translation by the younger generations. The author further says vouches for the use of semiotic theories to interpret the virtual world. Evidently, everything that is seen in this second life is a mirrored representation of reality or rather a vivid imagination. This is because the virtual world not only represents “hyper-reality” but also depicts a semiotic world. The fact that everything in the virtual represents a certain meaning gives an obligation to teachers to assist the students understand these meanings. After introducing new images to students in the virtual world, the teachers ought to bridge the gap of understanding through establishing connections between the new image and the other. As a result, this aids the students in production of new meanings around the new image. In conclusion, this method of assumed “vehicles” to translate virtual images to real images and placing the meanings in realistic contexts helps us understand the formation of visual culture. Addison, N. (1999) “Who’s Afraid of Signs and Significations? Defending Semiotics in the Secondary Art and Design Curriculum” 33-39 Nicholas defends the use of semiotics in the secondary art and design curriculum. Semiotics faces condemnation as a tainted and corrupted influence that corrupts art. There is emphasis from opposition to ensure that art and design methodologies remain pure and uncontaminated. A concern also crops up condemning visual literature as “an attempt to force images to fit illegitimately into a structuralism analysis of literary texts that tends to narrow visual meaning.” Nicholas argues towards proving such sentiments as the product of misapprehensions. He claims that semiotics id not a rigid structure that tries to define stuck meanings that are inflexible. On the other hand, Nicholas argues that semiotics is flexible and ever changing. In addition, these symbols are open to interpretation by the recipient. Nicholas argues that the act of educators ignoring semiotics in the dispatch of art education is an act of negligence that prevents them from placing art more cogently in its multiple context. Introduction of concepts on the broadness of semiotics occurs. Arguments put forth strive to signify that the signifier leads to various interpretations of the signified. Hence, it is utterly wrong to judge semiotics as a closed topic. Instead, semiotics proves its broadness and diversity. It is an open book that offers a broad range of ideas. These ideas incorporated in art education create a better platform for developing this field. Semiotics therefore provides a “critical language which not only addresses not only the relationship between objects and their contexts but also the relationship between objects and their viewing subjects.” Nicholas performs exceptionally therefore in defending the use of semiotics in the art education system. Bowers, C. A. (1990). Implications of Gregory Bateson’s Ideas for a Semiotic of Art Education. A Journal of Issues and Research, 31(2), 69-77 Bowers looks at Gregory Bateson’s ideas and the implications these ideas hold to Semiotic art education. The general outlook on art stands out as an individualistic concept that revolves around the work of the artist and their work. The thinking of Cartesian is the foundation for modern consciousness. This kind of interpretation shows the artist as an autonomous source of agency and of art an independent entity that exists that on its own. Hence, Cartesian interpretation, the goodness of art comes as a result of the qualities of the art in question. These qualities mainly revolve around technique and the principles and element of art and design. Bateson on the other hand sees a different approach in this subject matter. Bowers explores the uncommon Bateson’s ecology of relationships. This theory or point of view challenges the Cartesian’s way of thinking. Cartesian views an individual’s imagination, use of aesthetics in art, and creative activity as an interpretation to the inner mental state. Bateson however is of the stand that relationships govern the exchange of information and interaction. Bateson emphasizes that the use of relationships in semiotics influence the interpretation of culture. In semiotics therefore, culture consists of a series of signs where the signifier and signified are encoded depending on the system of the cultural group. Bowers therefore leans towards the adoption of Bateson’s view of art as interpreted through the ecology of relationships instead of the individualistic approach that the Cartesian way of thinking promotes. It also encourages the Bateson theory in the creation of art by various artists and in the teaching of the same. Alexenberg, M. L. (1976). A Semiotic Taxonomy of Contemporary Art Forms. National Art Education Association, 17(3), 7-12 Alexenberg creates a contemporary taxonomic structure of modern art forms. There are numerous changes in representational art forms. Additionally, the emergence of radical new presentation art forms makes it necessary to rethink and redefine art. This definitely harbors influence on the definition of art education. Alexenberg therefore proposes a taxonomic scheme that makes sense of the new and the revised forms of art generated today. Representational art consists of three iconic classes as suggested by Pierce. These classes are iconic, indexical and symbolic. Iconic art stands for art that derives meaning through representing likeness or imitation. Symbolic stands for art that contains meaning as a convention. Indexical art gains meaning by indicating a connection between things. Presentational art also comprises of different classes. Presentational art form represents the present, the future and links between the past and future. The paper explore classes of presentational art as identic, pioric and dialogic. Focus draws on these three classes differentiating them and exploring their various characteristics. Identic art gains meaning by presenting what it is. Prioric art presents a symbol of what can be while dialogic art gains meaning through dialogue and interaction. Through the paper, these classes of presentational and representational art forms are a major topic of exploration. Heusden, B. V. (2007) “Semiosis, Art and Literature.” Semiotica 1(4), 133-147 Heusden explores the relations found among semiosis, art and literature. The paper explores the concept that in modern day literature indeed faces endangerment. It goes on to explain that is not just any literature but a certain type that is in danger. Semiotics influence on literature in post modernism emphasizes more on the reception of literature than on the textual elements of the same. Hence, the kind of literature that facing endangerment is “that which requires conceptual and abstract thought, whereas the literature that that appeals to the concrete imagination is not in jeopardy at all.” Culture faces analyzed using the three types of signs. These are one-place signs(images), two-place signs(symbols) and three-place signs(structures). These three forms of semiosis are cumulative, with one leading to the other. An exhaustive study of literature and semiotic behavior takes dominance all through. A methodology used in the study of culture is proposed. This methodology proves efficient as compared to predecessors. It consists of three strategies or approaches. These are the phenomenological, the hermeneutical and the empirical. Heusden, B. (2009) “Semiotic Cognition and the Logic of Culture” Pragmatics and Cognition, 17(3) 611-627 Heusden represents semiotic cognition as a form of cognition that developed with the evolution of man and the evolution of other non-semiotic cognition. The argument states that semiotic cognition is dependent on the use and interpretation of signs. Semiotic cognition spurred long-term cultural change that makes humans today distinctive from those in the Darwinian culture. Heusden compares how all organisms and animals throughout history exhibit reaction patterns to occurrences in their environment. The human being is no different. Hence, Heusden reaches a new definition of meaning which signifies that something acquires meaning in the event that it triggers a reaction in an organism. The environment hence is dependent on the bodily behaviors of an organism. Charles Morris’ theory of signs suggests that human culture exhibits key Darwinian properties. Therefore, Heusden uses the same approach used to study biological evolution as a tool for studying human culture. Boyd defines culture as “information capable of affecting individuals’ behavior that they acquire from other members of the species through teaching, imitation and other forms of social transmission.” Heusden notes that humans simultaneously recognize and fail to recognize patterns. This phenomenon suggests that the human mind’s complexity compared to that of the primitive primate varies. Cultural evolution therefore becomes evident. Heusden studies the behavior of humans today and concludes that human over time evolved into being with complex logic systems whose recognition of objects varies. In addition, Heusden studies the different reaction humans’ exhibit to similar scenarios. This shows that the interpretation of patterns by the human mind varies among individuals. In addition, humans exhibit self consciousness. Therefore, the semiotic process in humans involves the recognition of signs, their interpretation and the theory of the mind as a logical consequence. Read More