Biography
Sara is a critical education leadership and policy sociologist, with particular interest in the temporality and spatiality of everyday life and how this (re)produces social inequality. She particularly writes about discursive and structural underpinnings of technology as it applies to learning systems and activities.
Before coming to King's in January 2022, Sara worked at the Centre for Education Rights and Transformation at the University of Johannesburg. She has experience across myriad contexts in the public education system in South Africa.
A former high school maths teacher and (prior to that) programmer, Sara entered the world of academia through teacher development back in 2014 when she began working with pre-service teachers at the University of Cape Town. Through teacher development, her interest in pedagogy and in structures and systems grew, resulting in doctoral research focused on the temporal and spatial constraints on teachers' practices in schools and the policy origins of these. Her former background in coding has also converged with these interests to critically engage with technological modalities and their relation to time-space in education practices.
When not thinking about education issues, she enjoys playing music, outdoor endurance sport and sewing.
Teaching
Sara is currently teaching on the following modules:
- Education and change: challenges of school improvement
- Education Leadership and Change in Context Research Methods
She previously taught on: Education policy; Ethics for pre-service teachers; Theories of Change in Schooling; education Leadership and Change in Context and Advanced Research Design.
Research interests
PhD supervision
Sara is currently supervising dissertations on:
- Education policy sociology
- Critical political economy of EdTech
- Critical geography of education
- Critical discourse analysis related to education
Sara is interested in supervising dissertations related to any of her research interests. See Sara's PURE Research Profile to see her current PhD students.
Research
Centre for Public Policy Research (CPPR)
The Centre for Public Policy Research is an interdisciplinary research centre research developing critical analyses of social change and social in/justice in education and other policy arenas, sectors and contexts to inform national and international policy debate, social activism, and personal, professional and organisational learning.
News
What does it mean to do critical research and engage with 21st century challenges? King's researchers give answers in new podcast
‘It’s Just Research - Critically questioning the world we live in’ is a new podcast made by researchers, with researchers, for researchers, and anyone keen to...
Events
Book Launch: Civil Society's Education by Christopher Winch
Join us for the launch of ‘Civil Society’s Education’ by Christopher Winch including a panel discussion of the book's key themes.
Please note: this event has passed.
Timespace and rhythms in higher education-a reflexive group discussion
In this interactive session, we will explore some of the prevailing literature on time-space in education in general as well as specifically in the HE sector....
Please note: this event has passed.
Features
It's Just Research, Season 2 Ep.3: Critical Geography and Education Justice with Dr Sara Black
In this month’s episode of ECS’ ‘It’s Just Research’ podcast, we flip the tables with an interview with host Dr Sara Black, asking her about her research into...
It's Just Research, Ep. 5: Power of Perspectives: Dr Maren Elfert on Education's Global Stage
In the fifth episode of "It's Just Research," we're treated to a candid chat with Dr. Maren Elfert, an expert in the field of international education
It's Just Research, Ep. 4: 'Introducing... the team"
In this special episode of It's Just Research, we turn the microphone towards our own team, inviting you into the world behind the scenes at King's College...
It's Just Research, Ep.2: 'Teaching English as a form of political activism, with Mel Cooke'
For the second episode of ‘It’s Just Research: Critically questioning the world we live in’, we talked to Dr Mel Cooke, Senior Lecturer in ESOL & Applied...
It's Just Research, Ep. 1: 'Bringing politics into the science classroom, with Arthur Galamba'
In the first episode of ‘It’s Just Research: Critically questioning the world we live in’, we talked to Dr Arthur Galamba, Senior Lecturer in Science...
Higher education & knowledge: where is the public good?
At the Annual Lecture of King’s School of Education, Communication & Society, held on 4 July 2022, Professor Simon Marginson delivered a fascinating talk in...
Must-reads in education, communication and social sciences
The School of Education, Communication & Society at King’s College London houses research from a range of different fields – from linguistics to education...
Meet Dr Sara Black, King's new Lecturer in Education Management and Leadership
Dr Sara Black who joined the School of Education, Communication and Society in January 2022, talks about how leaving a job in IT to become a teacher was the...
Research
Centre for Public Policy Research (CPPR)
The Centre for Public Policy Research is an interdisciplinary research centre research developing critical analyses of social change and social in/justice in education and other policy arenas, sectors and contexts to inform national and international policy debate, social activism, and personal, professional and organisational learning.
News
What does it mean to do critical research and engage with 21st century challenges? King's researchers give answers in new podcast
‘It’s Just Research - Critically questioning the world we live in’ is a new podcast made by researchers, with researchers, for researchers, and anyone keen to...
Events
Book Launch: Civil Society's Education by Christopher Winch
Join us for the launch of ‘Civil Society’s Education’ by Christopher Winch including a panel discussion of the book's key themes.
Please note: this event has passed.
Timespace and rhythms in higher education-a reflexive group discussion
In this interactive session, we will explore some of the prevailing literature on time-space in education in general as well as specifically in the HE sector....
Please note: this event has passed.
Features
It's Just Research, Season 2 Ep.3: Critical Geography and Education Justice with Dr Sara Black
In this month’s episode of ECS’ ‘It’s Just Research’ podcast, we flip the tables with an interview with host Dr Sara Black, asking her about her research into...
It's Just Research, Ep. 5: Power of Perspectives: Dr Maren Elfert on Education's Global Stage
In the fifth episode of "It's Just Research," we're treated to a candid chat with Dr. Maren Elfert, an expert in the field of international education
It's Just Research, Ep. 4: 'Introducing... the team"
In this special episode of It's Just Research, we turn the microphone towards our own team, inviting you into the world behind the scenes at King's College...
It's Just Research, Ep.2: 'Teaching English as a form of political activism, with Mel Cooke'
For the second episode of ‘It’s Just Research: Critically questioning the world we live in’, we talked to Dr Mel Cooke, Senior Lecturer in ESOL & Applied...
It's Just Research, Ep. 1: 'Bringing politics into the science classroom, with Arthur Galamba'
In the first episode of ‘It’s Just Research: Critically questioning the world we live in’, we talked to Dr Arthur Galamba, Senior Lecturer in Science...
Higher education & knowledge: where is the public good?
At the Annual Lecture of King’s School of Education, Communication & Society, held on 4 July 2022, Professor Simon Marginson delivered a fascinating talk in...
Must-reads in education, communication and social sciences
The School of Education, Communication & Society at King’s College London houses research from a range of different fields – from linguistics to education...
Meet Dr Sara Black, King's new Lecturer in Education Management and Leadership
Dr Sara Black who joined the School of Education, Communication and Society in January 2022, talks about how leaving a job in IT to become a teacher was the...