Sensitive and intelligible interactions in a digital learning platform: a semiotic approach

Abstract

Educational teaching platforms provide access to formal knowledge and, at the same time, a diversification in the topics and ways of learning, since they use various mechanisms that consider relevant in a single digital space. This paper aims to examine the Me Salva! platform from the theoretical and methodological framework of French semiotics. In particular, this work uses the regime of interactions and meanings elaborated by Eric Landowski as a starting point for the analysis of the site in question, taking the student-subject as the point of view. We divided our analysis into two blocks: one referring to the intelligible dimension of signification and other referring to the sensitive dimension of meaning. It was found that, in the discourse of the platform, the realization of programmed interactions predominates, to the extent that there is a whole automation necessary for the subject-student to access the content of this website. However, there are also other interactional possibilities in the same platform, such as the manipulation that the brand performs to buy packages, as well as a relation of adjustment, in a more sensitive dimension of this relation study site and subject-student. We were able, in the same way, to observe how the subject-student, on the platform, has at least two major paths to tread in its relationship with the plane of expression of the page.  We hope that the most recent theoretical postulates of semiotics can contribute to the discussion about methodology and ways of interacting to optimize the students' performance.