A Journey Into Learning

Abstract

What makes a good teacher, or educational remediator, is a concept that is difficult to define. This thesis, "A Journey Into Learning", grapples with this problem by subscribing to the notions of semiotics. Semiosis is understood to be the ever changing process that is continually building the framework of a person's mind. This framework is a result of the interpretants that an individual has collected over that person's life experiences. These interpretants are internalised to form signal or sign networks. Subsequent learning or the collection of interpretants are then networked with the existing signal networks producing a unique approach to that person's thought processes that are then translated into unique actions. Influenced by this framework of thinking, the quest for identify ing reasons for an effective remedial approach is carried out by first investigating a successful remediator's early childhood and then contemplating the effects of significant events through his early life. Secondly , this remediator shares his observations of the present education s ystem through the framework of thinking that has been influenced by his past experiences. After developing a more conscious view of his remediation approach these frameworks of thought are then compared with the thoughts of eminent educational thinkers to determine whether there is any correlation, and therefore rationale, for these particular frameworks of thought regarding rernediation and learning. With a clarified conscious understanding of the possible underlying principles that pervaded this remediator's approach, generalised strategies are formulated as identifying features of an effective approach to remediation and effective learning arising from this research. Additional features of remediation were discovered, especially in the neurological aspects of learning Evidence for accepting the notions formulated is demonstrated in the case studies that have been included.