Senior STEM Education Researcher
Program/Areas of Interest
- Making and STEM
- Maker Educator Leadership
- Mathematics and 3D Design
- Mathematical argumentation and modeling
- STEM with Pre-K populations
Biography
Ken Rafanan develops learning activity systems integrating teacher professional development, curriculum, assessment, and technology designed to enhance learning of critical mathematics.
Ken’s recent work has focused on the use of 3d design and 3d printing to support the learning of spatial reasoning and computational thinking and mathematics. Ken has also worked on the development of tablet computers for structuring learning activities for learning early mathematics and computational thinking in preschools in the United States as well as the use of tablet computers in middle school mathematics in the United States and the United Kingdom. He has helped develop assessments for use in preschools and elementary school, middle school and community college classrooms using an evidence centered design framework.
Education
- M.A., Education (Learning, Design & Technology Program), Stanford University, 2003
- B.A., German Studies, Stanford University, 2002 (class of 1993)
Honors & Awards
- CSCL 2009 Best Paper Award
Highlighted Publications
Roy, G. J., Cunningham, M., & Rafanan, K. (2023). Using mathematics to design a droid. Mathematics Teacher: Learning and Teaching PK-12,Ìý116(7), 511-519.
Rafanan, K., & Levin-Guracar, E. (2023, July 20-21). Integrating Designing and Making for Others in the Mathematics Classroom [Conference presentation]. 2023 Play Make Learn, Madison, WI, United States.
Roy, G., Cunningham, M., & Rafanan, K. (2024, September 25-28). Using Mathematics to Design a Prototype Action Figure [Conference presentation]. 2024 NCTM Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL, United States.
Rafanan, K. (2024, March 17-20). Engaging African American Young Women in STEM and Entrepreneurship Through Community-Centered Making. In Building Culturally Sustaining Projects and Partnerships to Support Science for the ‘Rest of Us’ [Symposium]. National Association for Research in Science Teaching, Denver, CO, United States.
Rafanan, K., Lara-Meloy, T., Stevens, H., & Knudsen, J. (2024, September 25-28). Coach-Teacher Teams Transforming Classroom Practice Using Video and Reflections [Conference presentation]. 2024 NCTM Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL, United States.
Vahey, P., Knudsen, J., Rafanan, K., & Lara-Meloy, T. (2013). Curricular Activity Systems Supporting the Use of Dynamic Representations to Foster Students’ Deep Understanding of Mathematics. In C. Mouza and N. Lavigne (Eds.). Emerging Technologies for the Classroom, pp. 15 – 30. Springer, NY.
Roschelle, J., Rafanan, K., Bhanot, R., Estrella, G., Penuel, W., Nussbaum, M., and Claro, S. (2010). Scaffolding group explanation and feedback with handheld technology: impact on students’ mathematics learning. Educational Technology Research & Development 58(4): 399-419.
Roschelle, J., Rafanan, K., Estrella, G., Nussbaum, M., & Claro, S. (2010). From handheld collaborative tool to effective classroom module: Embedding CSCL in a broader design framework. Computer & Education, 56(3), 1018-1026.