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Giulia Messina Dahlberg

Senior Lecturer

Department of Education and Special Education
Telephone
+46 31-786 50 11
Mail
giulia.messina.dahlberg@gu.se
Visiting address
Västra Hamngatan 25
41117 Göteborg
Room number
A3 125
Postal address
Box 300
40530 Göteborg

About Giulia Messina Dahlberg

I am associate professor (docent) in Education at the Department of Education and Special Education (IPS). My academic work is grounded in over two decades of experience in education, beginning as an upper-secondary school teacher in Falun, Sweden, and later moving into university teaching and research. This dual background continues to shape my commitment to understand both educational practice and theory, particularly in addressing how educational institutions support (or hinder) meaningful interaction, participation and learning.

My research focuses on three interconnected areas: transitions and widening participation in higher education; technology-mediated and data-driven educational practices; and diversity and inclusion, with a special emphasis on language, culture, and policy. From early studies on meaning-making and interaction in the online language classroom to recent investigations into simulation-based vocational training, my work critically explores how people engage with education across a variety of settings. A core insight from my research is that openness, whether through digital platforms or inclusive policies, does not automatically equate to accessibility. Instead, inclusion must be continuously enacted, negotiated, and supported through thoughtful design and practice. Working collaboratively with colleagues in Sweden and Italy, I have investigated how language ideologies and discourses of support influence educational policy and practice. These studies highlight tensions between inclusive intentions and the structural realities that often marginalize certain student groups, from K-12 to higher education. From a sociomaterial perspective, I explore how policies and practices are entangled with broader societal narratives about identity, belonging, and learning.

I am currently co-leading the YRKSIM project (2024–2026), funded by the Swedish Institute of Educational Research. This project explores how digital driving simulators can support vocational students' development of practical and reflective skills. Previously, I was part of the PAL project (2017–2020), which investigated the educational and social transitions of young people with functional variations. Other projects I have contributed to include a Knowledge Foundation initiative on data-driven service development (2019–2020), and a capacity-building collaboration with the Swedish Migration Agency focused on adult education and digital transformation (2019–ongoing). In 2022, I was the principal organizer of the “Praxis in Higher Education” conference, supported by Riksbankens Jubileumsfond.

My work draws on ethnographic, sociomaterial, and multimodal conceptualisations to understand how educational practices unfold across digital and physical environments. I advocate for participant-centred and ethically aware research that supports, rather than merely observes, educational communities. A strong focus of my recent work has been on how data and digital tools shape educational practices, not just in terms of performance, but in how they mediate what is valued, visible, and supported in learning environments. I am a member of the research groups POP and FYRK at the department.

Alongside research, I am engaged in teaching and supervision at the Faculty and I am a member of the Ethical Board. At the University of Gothenburg, I currently teach courses including Communication and Conflict in Human Resource work, Globalization and Educational Systems, Internship with a focus on Education, Bachelor and Master Thesis Supervision, and Research Methods. I have also contributed to doctoral education, most recently through the course Intersectionality Inside and Outside Schools at Jönköping University and with workshops on Research Ethics for doctoral students and fellow researchers at the Faculty of Education here in Gothenburg.

I consider myself an educator who aims to create intellectually generous environments where students feel included, supported, and challenged. In my teaching, I strive to create spaces where learning is both rigorous and personally meaningful. Over the years, I’ve developed course designs that foster reflection, academic responsibility, and collaborative work.