Helena P. Osana, Ph.D.
Professor, Education
Visiting Professor, University of Wisconsin--Madison while on sabbatical
Biography
Dr. Osana, Concordia University Research Chair in Mathematical Cognition and Instruction, is an educational psychologist who investigates children’s thinking in mathematics and the instructional factors that impact their learning. Her recent focus is on how children interpret and use external knowledge representations, such as concrete objects (i.e., “manipulatives”), drawings, and standard written notation. Cognitive underpinnings of the research include the development of children’s symbolization, analogical reasoning, conceptual and procedural knowledge, and relational thinking, all of which inform Dr. Osana’s work on the effects of instructional interventions. Her research is conducted with teachers and children in classroom settings. She brings her research findings to professional development settings to support teachers’ classroom practice in the areas of fractions, place value, number sense, and counting.
Education
Ph.D. (Educational Psychology), University of Wisconsin—Madison, 1998
M.A. (Mathematics and Science Education), University of British Columbia, 1989
B.Sc. (Mathematics and Statistics), McGill University, 1986
