Yvonne Kao is the Director of WestEd’s Learning & Technology content area. She is experienced in using quantitative and qualitative methods to study the impact of programs in K–12 education, focusing on mathematics, computer science, and the design and implementation of educational technology. Her research uses a range of approaches, from nationwide cluster-randomized trials to smaller behavioral studies. She also conducts formative evaluations and expert reviews of educational technology products, providing feedback on product usability and instructional content.
Kao received a WestEd Strategic Investment grant to develop and pilot an innovative computer science assessment format that includes complex, authentic tasks and is aligned to K-12 computer science standards.
She is certified in the What Works Clearinghouse group design standards v4.1 and was a writer for California state’s Computer Science standards and strategic implementation plan.
Kao received her BS in Computer Science, Mathematics, and Psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and her PhD in Cognitive Psychology from Carnegie Mellon University.