Fernando Rodriguez Jr.

Fernando Rodriguez Jr. is an Assistant Professor at the University of California, Irvine's School of Education. He directs the Education, Technology & Culture (ETC) Lab and co-directs the IES-funded Career Pathways for Researching Learning and Education, Analytics and Data Science (CP-LEADS) program.

• B.A. in Psychology from California State University, Northridge (CSUN)
• Master's in Developmental Psychology from the University of Michigan
• Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from the University of Michigan

Dr. Rodriguez's research integrates cognitive theories to enhance student learning. He specializes in:

• Learning analytics to analyze online platform data for learning behaviors
• Self-regulated learning and its impact on academic outcomes
• Social learning theories applied to peer-driven online environments (e.g., Flip, YouTube, Perusall)
• Dual-process theories of cognition examining critical thinking and persuasive texts

His work bridges educational psychology, data science, and instructional technology to optimize digital learning experiences.

Scientific recognition includes:

• Fellowship at the International Max Planck Research School on the Life Course
• Support from the NIMH-COR training program during undergraduate studies

As co-director of the CP-LEADS program, he mentors emerging scholars in education data science methodologies. His research lab investigates how cognitive frameworks can inform adaptive learning technologies and collaborative digital pedagogies.