A comunicação e semiótica nos cursos de graduação em design no Brasil: proposta de criação de eixos de conteúdos

Abstract

This research focuses on the teaching of Communication and Semiotics in undergraduate Design programs. Its starting point is the following question: what are the possibilities for including Communication and Semiotics in undergraduate Design programs in Brazil? The main objective was to propose the creation of axes of Communication and Semiotics content essential for Design education. Methodologically, the research was predominantly qualitative, occasionally incorporating quantitative aspects. To collect data, questionnaires were administered to Design faculty, Communication and Semiotics faculty, and coordinators of undergraduate Design programs in Brazil, and interviews were conducted with faculty experts in the fields of Communication and Semiotics. Based on the previous steps, a diagnosis of the current study landscape in Brazil was presented, and a proposal was made for the creation of content axes for teaching Communication and Semiotics for undergraduate Design programs at Brazilian institutions. The first Axis of Foundation, Experimentation, and Application proposes that Communication and Semiotics content be developed progressively throughout the course. The second Axis, Continuous and Cross-Cutting, Communication and Semiotics, can be studied as fundamental knowledge that permeates the core, specific, and theoretical-practical disciplines of the course, not being restricted to a single curricular component, although this component is advocated in all axes. The Spiral and Integrative Axis aims to foster an integrated view of the field of Design and how Communication and Semiotics can assist in the development of projects that articulate theory and practice. Ultimately, the hypothesis was confirmed that a systematic organization of the content of specific disciplines (almost always foundational) in a cross-disciplinary approach to Communication and Semiotics is essential in the curricula of undergraduate Design programs in Brazil. The conclusion was that the three axes of content distribution in Communication and Semiotics contribute to a critical reflection on how the field of Communication can contribute to integration with other areas of knowledge and, specifically in this thesis, with the field of Design. At the same time, it sparks discussions about the need for a cross-disciplinary teaching-learning process, with continuous and dialogued planning.