Recommended reading: Downes on types of meaning

Recommended reading: Downes on types of meaning
by Karyn Romeis | Mon, 01/12/2009 - 03:59

I know I recommended Stephen Downes's OLDaily blog just a couple of weeks back as part of my series on noteworthy blogs, but I don't want to restrict myself to a single course of action to the extent that I can't spontaneously respond to gems like this recent post on his Half an hour blog. Stephen calls this blog "A place to write, half an hour, every day, just for me." I wish I could write anywhere near as much as Stephen manages to fit in to his half an hour!

Stephen has a prodogious mind, which many of us lesser mortals find somewhat intimidating, but he is unfailingly generous with his knowledge and perceptions, sharing them in a wholly accessible way.

The nature of this connected space we inhabit is such that one gains an insight into what is exercising the other inhabitants from time to time. I knew that Stephen was thinking about different types of meaning, because he had mentioned this fact on his Facebook status and (because the two are linked) Twitter. I suspected that a 'half an hour' post might follow, and I wasn't disappointed.

Just a few of the types of meaning Stephen describes in the post are: postivist, pragmatic, intentional, connotative and deictic. I won't steal his thunder by saying any more than that, now. But I recommend that you not only read the post itself, but keep an eye for 'trackbacks' (such as this one) that emanate from it, as readers reflect on the matter.

As learners and (in some cases) learning professionals/teachers, meaning is of pivotal significance to us. Stephen's post certainly got me thinking (see my comment on the post), and it seems Ron Lubensky has also found it to be of value. I hope you do, too.

 

Tags: Downes, learning

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