Dr John Jok

John Jok is an early-career education researcher with a PhD in Education from Deakin University. His research focuses on family–school partnerships, family engagement, refugee and migrant education, and educational equity in culturally diverse Australian school contexts. Drawing on Pierre Bourdieu’s concepts of capital, habitus, field, and practice, his doctoral research examined how South Sudanese-Australian families experience and navigate engagement with their children’s schools.

John brings over eight years of professional experience in multicultural education and family liaison roles in Australian secondary schools. He is also a Casual Research Assistant at Deakin University, contributing to collaborative research on career pathway decision-making among culturally diverse students and families in Australian secondary schools.

His broader research agenda aims to strengthen family–school partnerships, promote culturally responsive educational practices, and advance equity and social inclusion. He is particularly interested in how schools recognise families’ cultural resources and how institutional practices shape family engagement and educational opportunities for children and young people from refugee and migrant backgrounds.