Dr. Yenda Prado Email & Phone Number

As the inaugural Learning Sciences Research Analyst for Digital Promise, I collaborate with a 45-member team to develop growing portfolio of National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of Education, and privately funded research projects focused on emerging technologies for learning and learning sciences research.I develop translational outputs, communicate research insights, and uncover needs highlighted by educators, designers, and policymakers, to inform and guide impactful R & D of emerging technologies for learning, with a focus on inclusion and learner variability.Additionally, I collaborate across DP teams to conceptualize proposals linking emerging technologies for learning, such as AI with STEM, across PreK-12 and multilingual environments.Finally, I author research-informed content for publications & media to advance powerful learning for historically and systematically excluded learners across communities, with an emphasis on clear communication of complex information.

United States

As a Consultant Advisor for CPB-PBS, I’ve advised on various projects including ideation, research and development of Lyla in the Loop, an animated series for children ages 4-8 produced by Mighty Picnic and animated by Pipeline Studios for PBS KIDS.Debuting February 5, 2024, Lyla in the Loop uses creative and strategic problem-solving to address a range of everyday problems demonstrating computational thinking in daily life.I collaborate with series writers and experts, and UX researchers and designers, to support ongoing series R&D efforts with an eye to universal design for learning features and DEI. My advisory work is supported by CPB-PBS’ Ready To Learn Initiative funded by the U.S. Department of Education. Ready to Learn supports children’s school readiness through innovative digital media content development, engagement, and research on children’s key skills for success including functional literacy, critical thinking and computational thinking.

As an Emerging Technologies consultant, I collaborated with the Product Certifications team to map edtech product certification ecosystem to key federal and state regulations aligned with learning sciences research, learner variability. I supported the Product Certifications team in establishing certification, assessor, and application requirements and content aligned with ESSA Evidence Tiers.I also supported the Product Certifications team in creating language to increase the value proposition of edtech evaluation certifications to align with school districts’ evaluation & funding priorities

As the Emerging Technology Impact Fellow on detail to the US Department of Education, I developed national education policy and identified and investigated emerging education trends and technologies for the Office of Educational Technology.My primary deliverable was developing the EdTech Evidence Toolkit as part of the “Using Evidence to Support EdTech Adoption in Schools” project to amplify policies and resources highlighting evidence-building practices for impactful educational technology adoption in schools.The EdTech Evidence Toolkit provides: 1. Background knowledge for understanding ESEA’s four tiers of evidence, their definitions, applications, and role in guiding edtech adoption and design decisions.2. Practical case studies with evidence-building activities to ground the tiers of evidence and the affordances provided by each level. 3. Highlighted partnership strategies that support the use of evidence in schools for impactful technology use and design to lessen the digital divide.Since its April 2023 launch, The EdTech Evidence Toolkit received over 15,000 views and 6,000 downloads, making it the 10th most viewed and 3rd most downloaded EdTech web resource for the U.S. Department of Education.

United States

Collaborative Network of Educators for Computational Thinking for All- For this National Science Foundation (NSF) funded project, I provided research technical assistance and teacher professional development in culturally responsive computer science education across schools in a large school district serving primarily BIPOC and Multilingual students. - I studied diverse students’ computational thinking in inclusive general education classroom settings integrating students with and without disability as they engaged in a culturally responsive computer science curriculum developed in partnership with university, Federal, and K 12 stakeholders.Digital Scaffolding for English Language Arts- For this Institute Education Sciences (IES) funded project, I provided research technical assistance and teacher professional development in the piloting of a digital literacy intervention across schools in a large school district serving primarily BIPOC and Multilingual students.- I studied the effects of visual syntactic text formatting, a technology that reformats text to make it easier to understand for students with reading difficulties. - I collaborated with a team consisting of researcher, district, and federal stakeholders to study the effects of VSTF on the reading outcomes of 5000 linguistically and developmentally diverse students.

United States

- With funding from the Orange County Education Advancement Network and UCI Office of Inclusive Excellence, I studied inclusive models of education; digital equity; language and literacy development and intervention; exceptional and diverse learners; and emergent educational uses of digital technologies.- I co-designed, facilitated, and provided program and technical assistance for the Community Education Fellows program, partnering with district and community partners in underserved communities to place undergraduates with schools needing remote learning support during the COVID-19 pandemic. My work integrating emerging uses of digital technologies to support remote learning were featured in the Wall Street Journal as well as numerous other media outlets.- I studied inclusive school practice and digital technology used in support of culturally and linguistically diverse children with and without disabilities at a full inclusion charter school in orange county integrating diverse students with disabilities.- I also studied family engagement and collaborative teacher practice at a Spanish English dual language immersion charter school examining culturally responsive approaches to language learning.

United States

- As a CZI-funded fellow, I collaborated with national, university, and federal stakeholders at PBS KIDS to develop recommendations and provide technical assistance for promoting DEI and accessibility in children’s educational digital media.- I designed DEI Accessibility features in children’s digital media assessment rubric and conducted literature review on inter-generational learning in children’s media.I examined user analytics data to explore relationship between player dwell time, attention, and choice in children’s decision-making in digital games.

Irvine, California

Teach EDUC 134: Teaching English Internationally, an upper-division undergraduate course.Course models research-based best-practices for EFL language instruction and engages students in hands-on instructional and professional development activities. Students leave the course with a strong foundation in the principles of EFL language instruction, an arsenal of teaching resources, and a professional teaching portfolio to use for interviews.

Irvine, California

Academic Director (2011-2014)- I secured national accreditation by restructuring international language school with new curricula; operating procedures; and professional development practices in coordination with Accrediting Council of Continuing Education and Training (ASSET) and the US Department of Homeland Security. - Strengthened school's reputation as a model Intensive English Program with ACCET by serving as a Curriculum Specialist on their site-visit team.- Created college-readiness program tailored to international students seeking college transfers.- Recruited top talent for employment; increasing efficiency, innovation, and program quality and technical assistance.- Streamlined academic reporting processes; resulting in 20% reduction of costs.Head Teacher (2009-2011)- Rated best teacher in 90th percentile by student satisfaction surveys.- Designed and taught ESL courses, including: ESL Levels 1-6; Pronunciation; Grammar; Listening and Conversation; Introduction to American Culture; and Writing Short Stories.- Led quarterly curriculum review, selected appropriate course textbooks, set teacher roster.- Created and implemented Student Case Management program to address student academic needs.

Irvine, California

- I partnered with the Assistant Dean of Education at Pepperdine University Graduate School of Education to launch TESOL practicum site at LASC Language Scholastics.- Mentored and coached TESOL program candidates in teaching as a professional practice.- Recruited and trained Master Teachers for the TESOL Program.

San Jose, California

Director of Programs (2007-2009)- Partnered with Interim Executive Director to lead agency through merger; Providing unwavering leadership in time of high staff turn-over and program instability.- Secured $90,000 in state and county funds through procurement of 10 grants and contracts totaling 70% agency budget.- Represented Grail Family Services in the San Jose Collaborative which included The United Way; First 5 California; The Discovery Museum; and Silicon Valley Education Foundation.- Supervised and coached 7-member team in implementation of 16 early literacy programs.Family Literacy Coordinator (2005-2007)- Collaborated with Executive Director to launch the first bilingual children’s library in San Jose.- Led partnership with Scholastic to launch Scholastic’s Early Literacy Initiative in the Bay Area.- Trained partnering agencies to deliver Scholastic’s Early Literacy curriculum; increasing number of agencies implementing by 140% and exponentially multiplying families reached by the intervention.

Menlo Park, California

- I recruited and provided city and county-funded instruction, program, and technical assistance to 300 BIPOC and multilingual adult learners and over 100 volunteer tutors.- Marketed and organized promotional events in partnership with Menlo Park Public Library and city and county-level community partners.

San Francisco, California

- I engaged in federally funded educational equity reform work providing professional learning for teachers in language development best practices.- Coordinated education reform efforts with AmeriCorps teams in San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose.- Led school-wide administration of California English Language Development Test to over 700 children.- Coached teachers in English Language Development best practices, resulting in targeted increases in student learning, at partnering Bay Area public schools.

Doctor Of Philosophy - Phd, Education

Activities and Societies: UCI Graduate Division, Dissertation Support Fellowship; Dr. Keith Curry Doctoral Foundation Award; UCI Office.

Master Of Education, Language And Literacy Specialty

Activities and Societies: Research Assistant, National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy | Marketing Intern, Cambridge.

Bachelor'S Degree, Psychology With Honors | Art History Minor

Activities and Societies: Overseas Student, Stanford in Florence Overseas Studies Program, Florence Italy | Volunteer, Casa Dei Madri.

Independent Educational Consultant Certificate, Educational Consulting

Certificate Focused on Independent Educational Consulting Best Practices; U.S. Higher Education System, Program and Technical Assistance.