From Multiple Interpretations to Shared Meaning: Diversity, Inclusion, and Semiotics

Keywords: course design, diversity, inclusion

Abstract: As higher education becomes more diverse, faculty and students will benefit from taking a mindful approach to understanding the numerous possible meanings that their choices of words and images may convey—-that is, the semiotics of information. In a learning context, paying attention to semiotics involves examining how we receive and respond to the delivery of information and the meaning behind the information. By applying semiotics mindfully, both faculty and students open themselves to the possibility of diverse interpretations of the same information. As differences in interpretation are explored, the opportunity to create shared meaning emerges.