Associate Professor Wendy Goff

Associate Professor Mathematics (PhD), Deputy Head - School of Education (Melbourne)
National School of Education - Faculty of Education and Arts

Areas of expertise: partnerships; mathematics; technology; health and wellbeing; early childhood education

Phone: +613 9230 8838

Email: Wendy.Goff@acu.edu.au

Location: ACU Melbourne Campus

HDR Supervisor accreditation status: HDR Supervisor (Full)

ORCID ID: 0000-0002-0665-2793

Wendy's research explores the dynamics of adult relationships and partnerships, including their influence and impact on children's learning, health, well-being, and overall development. She uses four different vehicles to study these relationships and partnerships (mathematics education; technology; early childhood education; and health and wellbeing). She has disseminated her findings through presentations and publications on both national and international platforms.

Wendy's work in mathematics education has been highlighted as part of the evidence base underpinning numeracy in Australia. Wendy's work in mathematics education has also been published in the Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia's (MERGA) 4-yearly comprehensive review of mathematics education research in Australasia (RIMEA).

Wendy is a member of the editorial board for BRILLS Global Education in the 21st Century series. She is the Regional Secretary Oceania for IAHPEDS (an international alliance of researchers and professionals interested in children's Health, Physical Education, Dance, Sport, and Wellbeing from around the world). Wendy is also a mentor in the Association of Asian Social Sciences Research Councils (AASSREC) mentoring initiative which provides mentoring support to researchers situated in the most under-resourced and least advantaged parts of the Asia-Pacific region.

Wendy has won several awards during her career. These awards span across teaching and research. Her work in VR Simulation won the ITNews Benchmark Award and was recognised as Australia's Leading IT Project in Education in 2021. Throughout her career, Wendy has been named as the Chief Investigator on several sizable federal and state-funded research projects. She has also been the Chief Investigator on several industry funded projects and industry-based seeding grants.

Website

LinkedIn

Select publications

Books

Goff, W.M (2025). Immersive Learning in Teacher Education: Simulated Environments, Tools, and Practices. IGI Global. https://www.igi-global.com/book/immersive-learning-teacher-education/357649#table-of-contents

Phillipson, Goff & Garvis (2025). Handbook on Families and Education - Theory, Research and Practice. Edward Elgar Publishing. United Kingdom. https://www.e-elgar.com/shop/gbp/handbook-on-families-and-education-9781035300679.html

Barkatas, T., & Goff, W. (2025). Advances in Mathematics and STEM education - Incorporating Developments in Neuroscience, Brain Science and Neurodiversity. Brill Academic Publishing. https://brill.com/display/title/71767

Goff, W., Phillipson, S., Clarke, S. (2023). The Dynamic Partner: Teachers Connecting with Families and Communities. Cambridge University Press. https://www.cambridge.org/au/universitypress/subjects/education/education-history-theory/partnerships-families-and-communities-building-dynamic-relationships?format=PB&isbn=9781108829694

Book Chapters

Goff, W., Wu, B. & Forbes-Rolfe, J. (2025). Defining Mathematics Education in the Early Years Context - A window into educators thinking. In Barkatas, T., & Goff, W. (2024). Advances in Mathematics and STEM education - Incorporating Developments in Neuroscience, Brain Science and Neurodiversity. Brill Academic Publishing.

Goff, W., Lynch, T., & Dervish, J. (2025). An Integrative Review of Cognitive Science and Neuroscience Findings about Mathematics Learning 2021-2023 - Time Lag in the Australian Context in Neuroscience, Brain Science and Neurodiversity. Brill Academic Publishing. https://brill.com/display/title/71767

Goff, W. (2025). Design-Based-Research and Mathematical Transitions. In the Bloomsbury Handbook of Early Childhood Transitions Research. Bloomsbury UK. https://www.bloomsbury.com/au/bloomsbury-handbook-of-early-childhood-transitions-research-9781350109148/

Journal Articles

Pale, M., Wu, B., & Goff., W. (2023). Takanga 'enau fohe: A scoping review of the educational successes and challenges of learners with a Pacific ancestry in Australia 2010 - 2021. The Australian Educational Researcher.

Fitzgerald, A., Goff, W., & White, S. (2023). The dilemmas inherent in curriculum design: Unpacking the lived experiences of Australian teacher educators. Journal of Education.

Please see ACU research profile for further publications

Projects

2023-2024 Dr Sarika Kewalramani and Associate Professor Wendy Goff. $50,000. STEM and Robotics Play. Collier Charitable Trust.

2025-2027 Associate Professor Wendy Goff, Professor Sivanes Phillipson, Anne Rhode, Dr Tracy Young, Dr Bin Wu, Dr Gerarda Richards, Dr Sarika Kewalramani $934,316. Regional Outreach Model (ROM) of EC-ITTE: A collaborative local place-based approach to supporting regional communities. Chief Investigator and Project Lead. Early Childhood Innovative Initial Teacher Education (IITE) program expansion.https://www.vic.gov.au/early-childhood-tertiary-partnerships-program

2022-2025 Professor Sivanes Phillipson, Dr Maryanne Pale, Dr Wendy Goff, Associate Professor Nicky Wragg, Dr Steven Murdoch, Jason Rogers, Associate Professor Stephane Shepherd, Professor Susanne Garvis, Dr Darren Fisher, Associate Professor Narelle Lemon. Sa'ili le ala: 21st Century career discovery sprint for Pasifika youths. Sa'ili le ala: 21st Century career discovery sprint for Pasifika youths. $791,159.00 Chief Investigator.

2021-2023 -Professor Susie Garvis, Professor Sivanes Phillipson, Dr Maryanne Pale, Associate Professor Narelle Lemon, Associate Professor Therese Keane, DrWendy Goff. Supporting Pasifika Islander youth towards positive life trajectories. $172,655.00. Chief Investigator. https://www.crimeprevention.vic.gov.au/funded-projects-crime-prevention-innovation-fund

2021-2022 Professor Susie Garvis, Professor Sivanes Phillipson, Associate Professor Narelle Lemon, Associate Professor Therese Keane, Dr Wendy Goff, Dr Kristine Turner, Dr. Maryanne Pale. Access Quality Teaching initiative; VIC Department of Education and Training $257,500.00. Chief Investigator.

2019-2023 Professor Sivanes Phillipson & Dr Wendy Goff. Learning@HOME with Children: A sustainable approach to improving educational outcomes through partnerships between education settings and families; Catholic Education Melbourne. $120,000.00. Chief Investigator.

2022-2023 Dr Wendy Goff, Professor Simone White, Associate Professor Ange Fitzgerald, Associate Professor Amanda Telford, Dr Melanie Nash & Allison Blythe. Teaching Academies of Professional Practice (TAPPs) Partnership Grant. $150,000.00 Chief Investigator.

2020-2021 Dr Wendy Goff & Dr Bin Wu. Boroondara City Council Partnership Grant - Noticing the mathematics in young children's play. $8,786.00 Chief Investigator

Awards

  • Nominee The Victorian Protecting Children Awards (VPCA) 2025.
  • Australian Teacher Education Association (ATEA) Research Recognition Award, 2023.
  • Early Career Researcher Award (Swinburne University), 2020.
  • ITE Benchmark Award. Best Education Project, 2021.
  • Dean's Award for Teaching Excellence (Monash University), 2012.
  • Vice Chancellor Nomination Teaching Excellence (Monash University (2012)
  • Lecturer of the Year (MUGSU - Student Union Voted Award) 2010, 2011.

Appointments and Affiliations

  • Deputy Chair Department of Education Swinburne University
  • Acting Chair Department of Education Swinburne University
  • Academic Director Professional Experience/Partnerships RMIT University
  • Academic Director International Partnerships Swinburne University
  • Internal Accreditation Lead Swinburne University
  • External Accreditation Lead Swinburne University
  • Course Director EC/Primary Swinburne University
  • Professional Experience Lead Swinburne University
  • GTPA Lead Swinburne University
  • Pathways Lead Swinburne University
  • Undergraduate Orientation Lead Swinburne University
  • External Chair TFA Course Review (ACU)
  • External chair course advisory committee (Torrens University)
  • External Chair Course Review Crown Institute of Higher Education
  • Oceana Regional Secretary International Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Dance and Sport (IAHPEDS)

Editorial roles

  • Conference Lead Australian Teacher Education Association 2022. "Disrupting Teacher Education: Responsive, Reciprocal and Radial Conversations Around Research and Practice".
  • Editorial Board member of the BRILL GECS Book Series 2024-Current.

International journal review panels

  • Australasian journal of early childhood 2024.
  • Early childhood education journal 2020, 2021, 2024.
  • European early childhood education research journal 2020, 2023
  • Journal of further and higher education 2023

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