JuliAnna Ávila

JuliAnna Ávila is an Associate Professor of English at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNC Charlotte), specializing in digital literacies, critical pedagogy, and John Dewey's educational philosophy. She holds a Ph.D. in Language, Literacy & Socio-Cultural Studies in Education from the University of California, Berkeley, and a B.A. in English Literature (summa cum laude) from the University of Redlands. Her work emphasizes boundary-crossing practices in literacy education and the intersection of technology with critical theory.

• Education:
  • M.Sc. (in progress), University of Edinburgh
  • Ph.D. (2007), University of California, Berkeley
  • M.A. (2002), University of California, Berkeley
  • B.A. (1997), University of Redlands

Her research focuses on digital literacies, critical literacies, and Deweyan approaches to education. She has authored and edited influential books such as Critical Digital Literacies: Boundary-Crossing Practices (2021) and co-edited volumes on Dewey's theories in modern education. Her recent articles explore technofeminist pedagogies, standardized testing critiques, and Dewey's philosophy in contemporary contexts.

Ávila’s awards include the Divergent Book Award (2023) and the Edward B. Fry Book Award (2014). She actively contributes to academic discourse through journal editorships, including Journal of School & Society (2023) and English Teaching: Practice and Critique (2020). Her courses span digital literacies, multicultural literature, and writing pedagogy.

• Professional Activities:
  • Co-editor, Journal of School & Society
  • Presenter at international conferences (e.g., National Association for Media Literacy Education)
  • Course instructor for Teaching as Transformation and Digital Literacies Studies