Research perspectives on education and language didactics at the University of Geneva: an interview with Ecaterina Bulea Bronckart

Abstract

The University of Geneva remains one of the most prestigious references for researchers and educators worldwide due to its history permeated by outstanding contributions in the field of Education, Psychology and Language Sciences. Who are the researchers currently working on this institution and which are the topics being developed by them? This interview with professor Ecaterina Bulea Bronckart, coordinator of the Research Group on Language Didactics at the University of Geneva, aims to present and disseminate recent research topics in the field of educational sciences, teacher training and the didactics of the languages developed by her and her group. Whithin the Socio-discursive Interactionism framework, Ecaterina Bulea Bronckart investigated the relationship between grammar and text, she reexamined Saussurean theory and studied the role of verbalizations in educational situations as well. In this conversation, Bulea Bronckart explains the scope of the GRAFE research group, as well as its subgroups; she also presents her most recent working interests, mentioning her current project in progress. She points out the challenges faced by researchers in Education and Language Sciences. The interview presents the key-questions that guided the latest Seminars and Conferences, such as the theme of the evaluation, the notions of verbalization and obstacle; it also highlights theoretical and practical questions that have not yet been answered, on which further investigation is still needed. Finally, the interview presents her perception of the dialogues that Socio-discursive Interactionism engenders with researchers from Brazil and other countries.

Didactics; Language; Socio-discursive interactionism