David John Rufo, Ph.D.

David Rufo is an Associate Professor of Education at Utica University. Previously, Dr. Rufo was an Assistant Professor of Education and Program Director in the Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences at Cazenovia College in upstate New York and before that a Clinical Assistant Professor at Fordham University’s Graduate School of Education at Lincoln Center in New York City. Additionally, Dr. Rufo has two decades of experience as a general elementary classroom teacher and an instructor in the Department of Art Education at Syracuse University. Dr. Rufo’s research interests include: Creativity in Education, STEAM Education, Critical Pedagogy, Child-Centered Education, Democratic Classrooms, The Self-Initiated Creativity of Children, Contemporary Art, Art History, and Art Education. David has published articles in a variety of national and international peer-reviewed journals. His most recent work coming out in March is a chapter titled, “Building Forts at Recess: When Student Play Becomes STEAM Learning” in the forthcoming book STEAM education: Transdisciplinarity of Art in the Curriculum. In addition to being an educator, David is also a visual artist. His writings may be found at https://utica.academia.edu/DavidRufo and his artwork at davidjohnrufo.com and https://www.instagram.com/david_rufo_art/

Education

Ph.D. Syracuse University Teaching & Curriculum/Teaching & Leadership - 2016 Concentrations: Self-Initiated Creativity of Children, Action Research, Democratic Education, Interdisciplinary Learning. Advisor: Dr. James Haywood Rolling Jr.

M.S. State University of New York at Cortland - Summa Cum Laude –Concentration: K-6 Mathematics

New York State Education Program Certificate LeMoyne College, New York –Concentration: K-6 Elementary Education

B.F.A. Syracuse University, New York - Fine Arts Scholarship – Major: Studio Arts

Research

Books and Chapters

Rufo, D. (2024). Building forts at recess: When student-initiated creativity becomes STEAM learning. In T.L. Hunter-Doniger & N. Walkup (Eds.), STEAM education: An interdisciplinary look at art in the curriculum (pp. 130-134). Alexandria, VA: National Art Education Association.

Rufo, D. (2013). Swarming toward creativity. [Raw story data incorporated into Rolling, J. H. (2013). Swarm intelligence: What nature teaches us about shaping creative leadership. New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan]

Peer Reviewed Publications

Rufo, D. (2024). The self-initiated creativity of children during COVID-19. Art Education, 77(5), 40-42.

Rufo, D. (2024). The elementary classroom as a site for creative ritual, student voice, and meaningful learning. Arts, Culture & Development,1(1), 1-18.

Rufo, D. (2022, February-March). Artwork: The Repast of the Lion. Stone Canoe: A Journal of Arts, Literature, and Social Commentary, 16.

Rufo, D. (2020). Tagging tabletops: How the drawings of children on school furniture offer insight into their learning. International Journal of Education and the Arts, 21(17). Retrieved from http://doi.org/10.26209/ijea21n17.

Rufo, D. (2019). A thing I made: How children transform everyday materials into creative artifacts for learning. Trends: The Journal of the Texas Art Association, 10-15.

Rufo, D. (2017). Stumbling into the spiral: A serendipitous STEAM exploration. The STEAM Journal, 3(1).

Rufo, D. (2017). Math hater: How one child overcame her math anxiety through self-administered art therapy. Art Education, 70(5), 6-10.

Rufo, D. (2016). STEAM-ing up the science fair. Art Education, 69(4), 12-16.

Rufo, D. (2016). Self-initiated creativity in the elementary classroom (Doctoral dissertation). Available from ProQuest Dissertations and Theses database. (UMI No. 10165547).

Rufo, D. (2014). Breaking internalized teacher scripts: From traditional habits of mind to a creative mindset. Journal of Visual Inquiry, 3(3), 391-404.

Rufo, D. (2014). An arts-based classroom confronts educational metanarratives: Grand narratives, local stories and a classroom teacher’s story. Journal of Social Theory in Art Education, 34, 18-30.

Rufo, D. (2014). Swarming toward creativity. Teaching Artist Journal, 12(4), 231-234.

Rufo, D. (2014). Big Paintings Club. Voke, 2. Retrieved from http://www.vokeart.org/?p=490&spoke=1

Rufo, D. (2013). bUzZ: A guide to authentic and joyful creative learning. Power and Education, 5(2), 149-158.

Rufo, D. (2013). Masking tape: The artist’s urge to wrap. Teaching Artist Journal, 11(2), 107-111.

Rufo, D. (2013). STEAM with a capital A. The STEAM Journal, 1(1).

Rufo, D. (2013). Ophelia’s fort. Teaching Artist Journal, 11(1), 43-45.

Rufo, D. (2012). Building forts and drawing on walls: Fostering student-initiated creativity both inside and outside the elementary classroom. Art Education, 65(3), 40-47.

Rufo, D. (2011). Allowing artistic agency in the elementary classroom. Art Education, 64(3), 18-23.

Invited Articles, Papers, and Works

Rufo, D. (2023, February 9). Artist Q&A with David Rufo. Art Review City. https://artreviewcity.com/2023/02/09/david-rufo/

Lewis, L., Rufo, D., & Hunter-Doniger, T. (2021). Writer’s Corner. Art Education, 74(1), 58. DOI: 10.1080/00043125.2021.1832840

Rufo, D. (2020, December). Artwork: Don’t Pull Your Love and Love Your Way. Conglomeration No. 9. The Conglomerate. https://congolomerate.com.

Rufo, D. (2019, January). Artwork: Two Pieces. A-Minor Magazine: https://aminormagazine.com.

Rufo, D. (2015) Self-Initiated Creativity in the Elementary Classroom, Marilyn Zurmuehlen Working Papers in Art Education (http://ir.uiowa.edu/mzwp/), accepted paper.

Rufo, D. (2013, October). Math Journal Graffiti. http://tajaltspace.com/math-journal-graffiti-david-rufo/.

Rufo, D. (2013, June). Whiteboard drawings: Empowering children as artists. The Visual ARTBEAT: http://visualartbeat.com/whiteboard-drawings-empowering-children-as-artists-an-article-by-david-rufo/.

Rufo, D. (2013, June). Wolfgang Laib, fourth graders, and the openness of the artistic process. http://tajaltspace.com/wolfgang-laib-fourth-graders-and-the-openness-of-the/.

Rufo, D. (2013, April). Swarming toward creativity. http://tajaltspace.com/swarming-toward-creativity/.

Rufo, D. (2013, February). Checking out - Checking in. http://tajaltspace.com/when-checking-out-is-checking-in-david-rufo/.

Rufo, D. (2013, February). Technique schmechnique. The Visual ARTBEAT, (11), 40-42.

Rufo, D. (2012, December). Technique schmechnique. http://tajaltspace.com/technique-schmechnique/.

Rufo, D. (2012, October). Masking tape. http://tajaltspace.com/masking-tape/.

Rufo, D. (2012, September). Colored ice. http://tajaltspace.com/colored-ice/.

Rufo, D. (2012, August). Drawing on tabletops. http://tajaltspace.com/drawing-on-tabletops/.

Rufo, D. (2012, June). Ophelia’s fort. http://tajaltspace.com/ophelias-fort/.

Rufo, D. (2012, May). Paint bomb girls. http://tajaltspace.com/paint-bomb-girls/.

Rufo, D. (2012, May). Snowfall. http://tajaltspace.com/snowfall/.

Rufo, D. (2004). Is teaching cursive a waste of time? American Teacher, 88(4).

Courses Taught

EDU 301 Foundations of Literacy

EDU 302 Literacy and Comprehension: 1-6

EDU 303 Literacy and Comprehension: Middle-Adolescence

EDU 345 Math Methods Grades 1-6

EDU 501 Foundations of Literacy

EDU 502 Literacy and Comprehension: 1-6

EDU 503 Literacy and Comprehension: Middle-Adolescence

EDU 545 Math Methods Grades 1-6