Janet Okoko

Dr Janet Okoko holds a PhD in Educational Leadership from the Werklund school of Education, University of Calgary. Prior to pursuing a PhD, Dr. Okoko worked as an instructor at a teachers’ college, a curriculum developer, and as a monitoring and evaluation specialist for government and donor-funded education projects.  She received a Master of Education and a Bachelor of Education degree from Kenyatta University, Kenya. 

Her research focuses on school leadership preparation and development, newcomer/migrants and minority Education, schools, parent and community partnerships.  She is currently studying school leaders preparation for work with culturally and linguistically diverse migrants as a minoritized group and  leading an Action research partnership between University of Saskatchewan and Kenyatta University aimed at building capacity for practitioner-oriented and technology-mediated research among basic education (K-12) school leaders

She  has been a Principal Investigator for  (i) two tri council funded research projects aimed at preparing school leaders for work with newcomers / im-migrants who are culturally and linguistically diverse. (ii)  a Global Innovations research project aimed at Strengthening Instructional Leaders’ Capacity for Practitioner-Oriented Educational Research to Support Student Learning.(iii) the evaluation of the Gender Responsive Pedagogy, Kenya Equity in Education Project (KEEP) in the refugee camps and their host community in Kenya. 

Janet has published and presented work at international conferences on school leadership preparation and development, and the experiences of school principals with im/migrants and on qualitative research.

Her more current journal publications have been on  the role of inter-organizational collaborations and partnerships in leading K-12 education of ethnically and linguistically diverse newcomers  and teacher leadership in pedagogical interventions aimed at improving Learning Outcomes for Girls in Refugee and Host Communities in Kenya; school leadership preparation and development in Kenya, and on the experiences of Canadian school leaders with newcomers. She was  lead editor of a Springer book on  varieties of qualitative research methods, including  specific contextual perspectives .  She was a member of the International Study of the Preparation of Principals and  is currently a member of the International Study of Teacher Leadership. She has served as a board member of the Global Gathering Glace, an immigrant settlement agency in Saskatchewan.

Doctor of Philosophy - 2014

• Faculty of Education, Graduate Division of Educational Research: Educational Leadership, University of Calgary

Master of Education (Thesis) - 2000

• Faculty of Education, Department of Educational Administration, Planning and Curriculum Development, Kenyatta University     

Bachelor of Education (Honors) - 1991

• Faculty of Education, Physical Education, Kenyatta University

Undergraduate

• EADM 303-Education in Society: Structures and system
• EDUC 425 - Legal and Institutional Context of Education
• EADM 498 - Community Engagement and Partnerships in Education
• EADM 411- Inquiry Project and Community Learning Field Experience
• EADM 411- Inquiry Project and Community Learning Field Experience- Service learning

Graduate

• ERES 800 - Research Methods
• EADM 811- History and Development of Organizational Theory
• EADM 816-Instructional Leadership for the Enhancement of Teaching
• EADM 885- Research Methods in Educational Administration
• EADM 866-Practitioner- Based research
• EADM 894 - Laboratory in Educational Administration
• EADM 991 - Educational Leadership Field Applications

Theses and Dissertations Completed

Type	Student Name	Department	Degree	Subject Area	Time Frame
Supervised	Samuel Agyare	EADM	PhD	Retaining potential Senior High School  Dropout  in Ghana	2020 -2025
	Jill Clapson	EdD	EdD	Translanguaging Literacy Intervention for Multilingual Learners in French Immersion	2022- 2025
	Sherry  Van Hesteren	EADM	EdD	Implementation of Anti-Racist, Anti-Oppressive Strategic Plans and Policies in School Divisions	2022 -2024
	Diana Jemieff	EADM	EdD	Equity Matrix as a response to restorative student discipline	2022 -2024
	Renee Cratty	EADM	EdD	Retaining Early Career Teachers	2022 -2024
	Kareen Reid	EADM	PhD	The influence of School Leadership Practices on Culturally Responsive Pedagogy for Newcomer Students	2018 – 2022
	Yasheka	EADM	MEd	Academics and  workplace transition for International students	2024 -2026
	Kacia Wilby	EADM	MEd	Fostering Academic Transition for Ethnoculturally and Linguistically Diverse International Students in Canadian	2019 – 2022
	Nadia Maqbool	EADM	MEd	Leading Authentic Assessment of English as Additional language	2017-2022
	Marsha Ree Lawrence	EADM	MEd	Influencers of International Students’ Participation in Sports	2018-2020
	Tram Nguyen	EADM	MEd	Parental Involvement with Secondary School Leadership: Experience of Vietnamese Immigrants in Saskatoon	2016-2018
	Alison   Mason	EADM	MEd	Parental Engagement of African and Caribbeans in the Education of their Children	2014-2016
Co Supervised	Theodora Eshun	EADM	PhD	Gender and Educational Policy in Ghana	2016 - 2024

Okoko, J .M. & Chudoba, R. C. (2025). The role of inter-organizational collaborations and partnerships in leading K-12 education of ethnically and linguistically diverse newcomers. Journal of Professional Capital and Community. https://doi.org/10.1108/JPCC-01-2025-0001

Webber, C.F., Andrews, D., van der Vyver, C.P., Pineda-Báez, C. Okoko, J.M., Cisneros-Cohernour, E.J., Domínguez-Castillo, J.G., Elmeski, M., Fuller, M.P., Conway, J.M., Moral-Santaella, C., Gratacós, G., & Idelcadi, S. (2024). School leadership roles and standards: Observations from the International Study of Teacher Leadership. Background paper to the 2024/25 UNESCO Global Education Monitoring Report on Leadership and Education. https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000391685

Okoko, J. M. & Hellsten, L.M.  (2023). Teacher Leadership and Pedagogical Interventions aimed at Improving Learning Outcomes for Girls in Refugee and Host Communities in Kenya. Leading and Managing -Journal of the Australian Council of Educational Leaders, 29(2).

Okoko, J.M., Scott, T., & Keith, W (2023). Varieties  of Qualitative Research Methods: Selected Contextual perspectives. Springer Education textbook series, Springer Nature https://link.springer.com/book/9783031043932

Arden, C, &  Okoko, J . (2021). Exploring Cross-Cultural Perspectives of Teacher Leadership Among the Members of an International Research Team: A Phenomenographic Study. Research inEducational Administration and Leadership, 6 (1) , 51-90 . DOI: 10.30828/real/2021.1.3

Webber, C,&  Okoko, J . (2021). Exploring Teacher Leadership Across Cultures: Introduction to Teacher Leadership. Research in Educational Administration and Leadership, 6 (1), 1-15 . DOI: 10.30828/real/2021.1.1

Okoko, J.M. ( 2019). Towards school leadership development: The Essence of working with culturally and linguistically diverse Newcomers Families in Saskatchewan. Research in Educational Administration & Leadership, 4 (2) 196-229   https://doi.org/10.30828/real/2019.2.

Okoko, J.M. (2018). Framing school leadership preparation and development for Kenya: Context matters. Educational Management Administration & Leadership, 1–18 doi: 10.1177/1741143218792913

Okoko, J.M ( 2025 ) Leading and learning from Parental Engagement with school leadership in Migrants Country of Origin. A paper presented at the  World Education Research Association Conference (WERA), Joao Pesoa , Brazil, October 26^th- 30^th   2025

Okoko J, M &  Odhiambo , B (2025). School leader preparation for behaviour management: Learning from policies and practices in Kenya and Saskatchewan. A paper presented at the Annual Kenya Scholars & Studies Association (KESSA) Conference, Atlanta, Georgia, USA ,5-6 September 2025

Okoko, J.M  & Floer, S (2025) Strengthening Culturally Diverse Newcomer Parental Engagement with School Leadership : What can we learn from  Countries of Origin  experience?  A paper presented at the Canadian Society for the Study of Education (CSSE), Toronto, May - June 2025

Okoko, J.M, (2024) Leading education systems that  Champion for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Newcomer Families. A paper presented at the International Congress for School Effectiveness and Improvement (ICSEI), Dublin Ireland , January 9-12

Okoko, J.M, (2023) Cultivating  School Leadership that supports Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Migrants A paper presented at the World  Educational Research Association (WERA), Singapore , November 22-24.

Okoko, J.M, (2023) Leading  Parental Involvement in Instructions that supports Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Immigrants  and Refugee Learners .A paper presented at the CCEAM-International Conference on Educational Leadership and Management (I), Montego Bay, Jamaica, October 18-20.

Okoko, J.M, Morrison, D., Squires ,V & Ogola, M (2023)  Strengthening School Leadership Capacity for Practitioner-Oriented and Technology-Mediated Educational Research to Support Student Learning. A paper presented at the Canadian Society for the Study of Education (CSSE), Toronto, Canada, May - June 2023

Nominee, YWCA Woman of Distinction in Education Award, City of Saskatoon, 2017..

https://thestarphoenix.com/news/local-news/kathryn-ford-receives-women-of-distinction-lifetime-achievement-award

 http://ywcasaskatoon.com/about-the-ywca/women-of-distinction/award-category-descriptions/ 

1. USask College of Education collaborates with Kenyan educators to transform discipline practiceshttps://education.usask.ca/news/2025/usask-college-of-education-collaborates-with-kenyan-educators-to-transform-discipline-practices.php
2. Supporting refugee children during the pandemic: Challenging but doable https://mcdowellfoundation.ca/strengthening-schools-to-support-the-needs-of-refugee-students/
3. Researchers say more resources needed for English as an additional language student this fall https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/eal-students-resources-1.5686476
4. School Leaders Journeying Towards Cross-Cultural Competency https://onethunderousvoice.blog/school-leaders-journeying-towards-cross-cultural-competency/

Current

• Research, Scholarly and Artistic Work (RSAW) July 2025-June 2028

Past

University

• University of Saskatchewan Faculty Association (USFA) Executive Committee (Equity Officer)
  • July 2023 - June 2025
• University Council- Member at Large.
  • July 2022 - June 2025
• Academic Programs Committee (APC).
  • July 2022 - June 2025
• SSHRC Explorer and Exchange Committee – (Vice President Research’s office).
  • June 2022-June 2025
• Scholarships and Awards Committee.
  • July 2019 – June 2022

College

• Member of College Review Committee (CRC)
  • July 2020 -  June 2022
  • 2024 - to date
• Member Undergraduate Programs Committee (UPC)    
  • July 2018 – June 2021
• College Awards Committee Member
  • July 2016 –  June 2018
• College Nominations Committee Member
  • July 2014- June 2017

Member of the Editorial Board.           

• Research in Educational Administration and Leadership (REAL)
• 2018 - to date
• The Educational Forum
  • 2011 - to date           

Member of the Board of Directors, Global Gathering Place (GGP) Saskatoon

• July 2018 - June 2024

Supporting refugee children during the pandemic: Challenging but doable. (Link to STF article).

Researchers say more resources needed for English as an additional language students this fall. (Link to CBC article).