Dr. Hannah Jiménez successfully defended her dissertation project, Education isn’t a To-Do List: The Intersection of Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy and Educational Technology, which is the Ed.D program’s first dissertation completed in the form of a podcast. Now streaming onSpotify andApple Podcasts, the series looks at how schools are often overwhelmed with initiatives that maintain the status quo rather than inspiring meaningful change. Through conversations with educators across North Carolina, Jiménez explores how educational technology and culturally sustaining pedagogy—when thoughtfully integrated—can revolutionize classrooms, increase student engagement, and create more inclusive learning environments.
Rather than treating these approaches as “just another item on a to-do list,” Jiménez argues that they can work hand in hand to support both school leaders and students, making education more thoughtful, safe, and successful for everyone. By choosing podcasting as her format, she also ensures her research reaches beyond academic circles, inviting educators, leaders, and communities into the conversation.
Her work not only breaks new ground for the program but also demonstrates how alternative dissertation formats can expand the impact of research. Congratulations to Dr. Hannah Jiménez on this innovative achievement!
Smiling Dr. Hannah Jimenez wearing a navy shirt and very fun and trendy glasses.