Jeanne E. Okrasinski

Dr. Jeanne E. Okrasinski is a Professor in both the Teaching, Learning, and Foundations school and the Curriculum and Instruction department at Eastern Illinois University (EIU). She has been affiliated with EIU since 2010 and has over 25 years of experience in higher education. Her office is located in Buzzard Hall, and she actively engages with students through residence hall meetings, office hours, and campus events.

Dr. Okrasinski holds a Doctorate in Curriculum Leadership (Ed.D., 2007), a Master's in Curriculum Leadership & Multicultural Education/TESOL (2000), and a Bachelor's in Physical Education (1993), all from Northern Illinois University. Her research focuses on differentiation, middle school teaming, leadership development in K-5 classrooms, ESL strategies, and social studies instruction.

She has led 10+ research projects as Principal Investigator (PI), including initiatives like Redesigning MLE Program (2013), Social Studying: Tablets with Apps for Practicum (2013), and a current project EDF 4550 OER Course Content (2024–2025). These projects emphasize OER development, teacher mentoring, and technology integration in education.

Dr. Okrasinski teaches courses such as Social Studies Methods for Elementary/Middle School, Research in Education, and Interdisciplinary Teaching in Middle-Level Schools. Her work often bridges theory and practice, with a focus on preparing educators for effective classroom leadership and student-centered pedagogy.

Her research outputs highlight themes like teacher induction programs, middle school organizational structures, and strategies for reducing teacher attrition. She collaborates extensively with community groups like YARG! (Young Adult Reading Group) to enhance literacy initiatives and inter-university partnerships.