The Semiotics of Logo

Abstract

Logo is a computer language that has been located in a variety of classrooms, in a variety of experimental settings, and has been examined and interpreted from the perspective provided by a variety of discursive frames. Logo is also a sign, and Peirce's construction of iconic, indexical, and symbolic sign functions are used in this article to link Logo to one particular frame, labelled “progressive education” for the purposes of this article. It is argued that an explication of Logo's sign function contributes to the debate about Logo in so much as it allows discussants to either proceed within a common frame of language, presuppositions and constructions, or, if coming from different epistemological directions, allows discussants to challenge the language, presuppositions and constructions of opposing frames.