Helen Forgasz
Professor of Education, Monash University (prior to retirement)
Qualifications
BSc, DipEd, BEd, MEdSt, GradDipEdAdmin, PhD
Areas of Expertise
My Biography
Before moving into academia, I was a secondary teacher of mathematics, physics, and computing. My academic expertise, and the major focus of my research, has been in the field of equity and mathematics (and science) learning, with a particular focus on gender issues. Other equity dimensions have also been incorporated into my various educational research studies including: SES, culture/ethnicity, Indigeneity, geo-location, and language background. Other research interests have included: technology use for learning mathematics; learning settings (homogenous vs heterogeneous; single-sex vs co-educational); attitudes towards and beliefs about mathematics; numeracy (mathematical literacy) across the curriculum; and, most recently, gender diverse (non-binary) students. I have worked with teachers and principals in professional development projects, and have authored professional development resource materials and teaching materials. I have served as an expert consultant and researcher on government and non-government educational projects. My research, project work, and professional development activities have encompassed all levels of education from primary to secondary to tertiary. Over the years, I have won prestigious research grants, published widely, and served the scholarly and professional mathematics education communities in various capacities.