Elena Forzani

Dr. Elena Forzani is an assistant professor of literacy education at Boston University’s Wheelock College of Education & Human Development. Her research centers on using multiple and diverse methods and perspectives to understand and support digital literacy practices across elementary and secondary school. In particular, her work investigates the cognitive, metacognitive, and motivational dimensions of online reading comprehension, with special attention to the evaluation of credibility on the internet. Through this work, Dr. Forzani seeks to inform the design of assessment and instruction.

Prior to joining BU, Dr. Forzani was the assistant research director for PIRLS and ePIRLS, international print and digital reading assessments. She has taught first grade and high school English and Reading and has served as a high school literacy specialist. Dr. Forzani is a recipient of the International Literacy Association’s Dissertation of the Year Award and recently served on the Visioning and Development panels for the 2026 NAEP Reading framework update.