"Chess, Not Checkers": Strategic Navigation of Intersectionality by Black Women in EdTech Leadership
Disciplines
Educational Technology
Abstract (300 words maximum)
Although diversity in educational and technology leadership is increasingly recognized as a factor that can improve student learning outcomes, Black women are significantly underrepresented in these roles. The purpose of this phenomenographic study was to explore the varied ways Black women in educational technology (EdTech) leadership roles within public school districts experience and perceive their positions. Existing literature on Black women in educational leadership and corporate IT highlights pervasive tokenism, technical credibility challenges, and cultural taxation. However, it critically lacks empirical exploration of these specific intersectional realities within K-12 EdTech leadership. Using in-depth semi-structured interviews with seven Black women district leaders, this research investigated the compounded realities they navigate, including gendered cultures, microaggressions, and systemic barriers. The findings identified eight categories of description organized into a four-layered outcome space that models the strategic transformation of these experiences. This structure reveals the proactive resilience and agency, metaphorically described as "Chess, Not Checkers," by which these leaders fulfill their mission to drive digital equity. The results advance the understanding of their leadership journeys and provide insights to support the advancement of Black women in EdTech.
AI Disclaimer: AI was used to check the grammar and clarity of this abstract.
Use of AI Disclaimer
yes
Academic department under which the project should be listed
BCOE – Instructional Technology and Innovation
Primary Investigator (PI) Name
Laurie Dias
"Chess, Not Checkers": Strategic Navigation of Intersectionality by Black Women in EdTech Leadership
Although diversity in educational and technology leadership is increasingly recognized as a factor that can improve student learning outcomes, Black women are significantly underrepresented in these roles. The purpose of this phenomenographic study was to explore the varied ways Black women in educational technology (EdTech) leadership roles within public school districts experience and perceive their positions. Existing literature on Black women in educational leadership and corporate IT highlights pervasive tokenism, technical credibility challenges, and cultural taxation. However, it critically lacks empirical exploration of these specific intersectional realities within K-12 EdTech leadership. Using in-depth semi-structured interviews with seven Black women district leaders, this research investigated the compounded realities they navigate, including gendered cultures, microaggressions, and systemic barriers. The findings identified eight categories of description organized into a four-layered outcome space that models the strategic transformation of these experiences. This structure reveals the proactive resilience and agency, metaphorically described as "Chess, Not Checkers," by which these leaders fulfill their mission to drive digital equity. The results advance the understanding of their leadership journeys and provide insights to support the advancement of Black women in EdTech.
AI Disclaimer: AI was used to check the grammar and clarity of this abstract.