M.A., Child Development and Early Childhood Education University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Yao is an early childhood researcher interested in young children’s science learning, especially focusing on parental support in children’s learning of science concepts and practices. She is currently working on several research projects with her advisor Dr. Soo-Young Hong and other faculty members. Yao has direct experience assessing young children as part of the local program evaluation team partnered with Educare, a local child development center, to evaluate individual child development and classroom quality. Yao is developing her analytical skills in SPSS and MAXQDA. She also has extensive knowledge of Qualtrics. Yao speaks Chinese and English.
Yao’s previous professional experiences include collecting, managing, and aggregating data for several research projects. She also had reliability training experience on multiple child assessments and classroom quality measurements. Yao has early childhood teaching experience and has collaborated with Ruth Staples Child Development lab teachers in a school-age summer S.T.E.A.M. program to provide exploratory learning opportunities for children ages 6-8.
Why CYAF at University of Nebraska-Lincoln
“Lincoln is my second hometown, as I have lived here for ten years. I love this quiet, beautiful, and friendly city. I continue to choose UNL’s program not only because of familiarity but also because of the great reputation of our program. The staff, faculty, and other graduate students are always supportive. Having the opportunity to continue my studies in this program provides the chance to pursue research in early childhood education and continue to develop my skills in this field. “
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