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Liv T. Davila

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Biography

Dr. Davila's research examines the intersection of language learning and identity among immigrant and refugee students. Specific areas of interest include: the school experiences of adolescent multilingual learners, new/additional language and literacy development, teacher education and classroom pedagogies that support access and equity, and global perspectives on immigration and language education.

Key Professional Appointments

  • Associate Professor, Education Policy, Organization and Leadership , University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
  • Co-Director of Graduate Studies, Education Policy, Organization and Leadership , University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
  • Associate Professor, Center for the Study of Global Gender Equity , University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
  • Associate Professor, European Union Center , University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
  • Associate Professor, Biomedical and Translational Sciences , University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
  • Associate Professor, Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies , University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
  • Associate Professor, Center for Global Studies , University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
  • Types of External academic engagement - Contribution to the work of national or international committees and working groups , Chair, Second Language Research SIG
Educational History
  • Ph.D, Education, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
  • M.Ed, Teaching English as a Second Language, University of North Carolina at Charlotte
  • MA, Comparative Education, University of Minnesota
  • BA, Anthropology, French, Grinnell College
Awards
  • Outstanding Graduate Teaching Award, College of Education , 2020

Research & Service

My research focusses on languages, literacies and communication writ large as they relate to learner identities, educational experiences, and broader social processes (e.g., of inclusion or exclusion).  While this research has primarily focused on adolescent immigrant and refugee learners in public K-12 institutions, as well as their families, and teachers, I also explore language access and equity in other community and institutional contexts, such as immigrant-serving organizations, and in medical education.

Overarching research foci:

  • Multilingualism and learning in school and society
  • Intersections of language and literacy, race, ethnicity, gender, and social class
  • Qualitative research in applied linguistics: ethnographic methods, discourse analysis, sensory/embodied methods

Publications
Courses
  • CI 507: Problems & Trends in Special Fields: Intensive examination of problems and trends in the subject fields. 4 graduate hours. No professional credit. May be repeated in separate terms to a maximum of 8 hours.
  • EPOL 420: Global Migration and Education: This course will integrate contemporary global and comparative perspectives on the study of migration and formal education at the preschool, primary and secondary (P-12) levels. Students will critically examine how institutions of education around the world are shaped by migration, as well as how migrant students and their families interface with educational institutions in resettlement contexts. Specific topics will include: policy responses, curricular approaches, language(s) of instruction, teacher and learner identities, and community-school dynamics. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours.
  • EPOL 435: Global Migration and Education: This course will integrate contemporary global and comparative perspectives on the study of migration and formal education at the preschool, primary and secondary (P-12) levels. Students will critically examine how institutions of education around the world are shaped by migration, as well as how migrant students and their families interface with educational institutions in resettlement contexts. Specific topics will include: policy responses, curricular approaches, language(s) of instruction, teacher and learner identities, and community-school dynamics. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours.
  • EPOL 586: General Field Research Seminar: This course will guide doctoral students as they develop a broad and critical understanding of their general field of doctoral study. Students will conduct a synthesized and critical review of the general field literature, which will become part of their dissertation. This course may meet the doctoral requirement of the General Field Qualifying Examination. 4 graduate hours. No professional credit. Approved for S/U grading only. May be repeated in separate terms for up to 8 hours. Prerequisite: To be taken by EPOL doctoral students upon completion of graduate course work. See advisor for guidance.
  • EPOL 587: Special Field Research Seminar: This course will guide doctoral students as they develop a broad and critical understanding of their special field of doctoral study. Students will conduct a synthesized and critical review of the special field literature, which will become part of their dissertation.This course may meet the doctoral requirement of the Special Field Qualifying Examination. 4 graduate hours. No professional credit. Approved for S/U grading only. May be repeated in separate terms up to 8 hours. Prerequisite: To be taken by doctoral students upon completion of graduate course work. See advisor for guidance.
  • EPOL 591: Thesis Seminar: Designed to take students through the entire process of proposal development, this course is intended for masters or doctoral students who are ready to prepare a thesis or dissertation proposal. Students will learn to use a systematic and comprehensive approach to develop the research proposal and how each step in the research process is related. 4 graduate hours. No professional credit. Approved for Letter and S/U grading.
  • EPS 395: Independent Study: Designed for students who wish to do advanced readings and research in greater depth and to investigate further ideas and themes that have been explored in EPS 199 and EPS 201. Prerequisite: EPS 201; and consent of adviser and staff member who supervises the work.
  • ERAM 576: Discourse Analysis: Students will gain an understanding of major theoretical and methodological approaches to doing discourse analysis in educational research (e.g., through analysis of face-to-face or online classroom talk and interaction, or published policy documents). Course assignments will provide students with opportunities to develop and apply tools for conducting research using discourse analytic methods. 4 graduate hours. No professional credit. Prerequisite: Successful completion of a minimum of one graduate-level introductory qualitative research methods course.