ProfessorLucila Carvalho

Lucila’s research interests are at the intersection of design, education, and digital technologies. Her research explores how social structures shape the design and use of technologies, and how technology influences cultural, educational and social experiences. Lucila is interested in the ways that design knowledge can support teachers and students to develop the capability and skills they need in our rapidly changing world. Key themes in Lucila’s research include:

• Nature of knowledge; sociomateriality; postdigital; teaching and learning with new technology
• Design for learning; innovative learning spaces; networked learning in museums, libraries, higher education, schools, AI in education.
• Methods and tools for the analysis and design of complex learning environments.

Prior to joining the University of Sydney, Lucila was an associate professor in digital education in the Institute of Education (2017-2026) at Massey University (Auckland), New Zealand, where she also served as co-director of the Equity Through Education Research Centre (2021-2025). 

Lucila co-edited the following books: The Design of Learning Environments in Aotearoa New Zealand Schools (with Louise Starkey and Jo Fletcher, New Zealand Council for Research Educational Research 2026),  Postdigital Learning Spaces: Towards Convivial, Equitable and Sustainable Spaces for Learning (with James Lamb, Springer 2024),  Place-Based Spaces for Networked Learning (with Peter Goodyear and Maarten de Laat, Routledge 2017) and The Architecture of Productive Learning Networks (with Peter Goodyear, Routledge 2014).