Educational semiotic: Threat or menace?

Abstract

In Donald Cunningham's article for this issue ofEducational Psychology Review, he assumes that there is a need for an educational semiotic. In this paper, I examine that implicit assumption. Upon investigation, I conclude that an educational semiotic is necessary to help develop an inquiry of understanding to complement the current inquiry of knowledge. This inquiry of understanding builds upon the fundamental ideas of both Saussure and Peirce. I conclude by considering an inquiry of understanding as a threat (or menace) to the status quo in educational research and by calling for a broad-based model of research that allows for the new and preserves the best of the old.