Semiotics in Engineering Education for Enhancing Communication Awareness

Abstract

The aim of this work is to explore the potential benefits of considering semiotics in engineering education to promote communication skills and cultural awareness among engineering students. We introduce semiotic-based activities in various engineering courses at the university level. The intention is to promote students' awareness concerning the role of symbols in engineering, which lead to a better understanding of their cultural and communicative significance. The classroom activities introduced within this work highlight the need for clear, consistent, and universally understandable symbols in engineering practice to promote a universal community approach in the engineering profession. This paper is rooted in the dynamic nature of signs (as noted by Peirce, 1931) and the necessity for pre-service engineers to adapt to evolving symbols as they may appear in their future professions.