The Case of Technology and Schooling from the Margins (Ep25)

Empowerment Starts Here with Dr. Sarah Thomas (click here to listen to the episode).

Scroll down to access links and other resources mentioned in Episode 25- “The Case of Technology and Schooling from the Margins.”

Ep25.SarahThomas Like with many of my guests from Season 2, I met Dr. Sarah Thomas on Twitter and was inspired not only by her generous spirit (she truly has a passion for bringing people together) but by her specialty. As is custom for episodes that have informants, you will learn about Dr. Thomas in the bio segment of the show. However, I want to say here that it was Dr. Thomas’s bio that drew me to contact her.

I found Dr. Thomas’s leadership in the field of technology to be completely compelling. For one, I have a genuine interest in technology but I never really had the wherewithal to formally move into it as a means for work. Second, as you will hear us talking in this episode, I also wondered what would have happened had I been exposed to black women leading in technology when I was coming of age trying to decide what I wanted to do in the world.

Interestingly, I contacted Dr. Thomas specifically for this reason. I assumed that because I did not have a lot of people in my life who looked like her doing what she does that she must have a story to tell about resistance. But, when we got to the pre-chat, I realized the resistance she experienced was not in her adult life. It was in her childhood years.

In this episode, Dr. Thomas talks about being one of very few kids in her neighborhood and her school that looked like her. Because she was in gifted and talented programming, she was constantly made to feel (by teachers, parents, and fellow classmates) that she did not belong.

A significant portion of this case explores race and gifted and talented programming. However, the case also explores issues around testing and cultural biases, digital natives and digital immigrants, Generations Y and Z, and STEM programming in k12 schools.

A significant portion of this case explores race and gifted and talented programming. However, the episode also explores issues around testing and cultural biases, digital natives and digital immigrants, Generations Y and Z, and STEM programming in k12 schools.

I enjoyed my conversation with Dr. Sarah Thomas and am thankful for the time that she shared with us!!

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Key Points Discussed: