Edusemiotics of meaningful learning experience : Revisiting Kant’s pedagogical paradox and Greimas’ semiotic square

Abstract

In this article we examine the educational process and learning from the edusemiotic point of view in terms of meaningful experience and meaningful action. A conception of meaningful experience is central in many branches of educational thinking, from pragmatism to existentialism. We analyze this conception from two traditional and somewhat remote perspectives, utilizing some themes of Kant’s educational philosophy on the one hand and Greimas’ semiotics on the other. Kant’s views of human formative powers – Bildung – will be described as a basic philosophy of learning experience. Kant’s theory is then critiqued from the perspective of existentialist educational philosophy. Concepts of meaningful learning and experience are further clarified utilizing Greimas’ semiotic tools and, specifically, his semiotic square. Finally, the question of meaningful learning experience is related to Kant’s pedagogical paradox and the educator’s role in the pedagogical process.