Research
Dr. Rahimi’s research sits at the intersection of artificial intelligence, learning sciences, and educational technology. He is best known for his work on stealth assessment — an unobtrusive, ongoing method of measuring student knowledge and skills embedded within digital learning environments. His projects span game-based learning, generative AI in K–12 education, creativity assessment and support, productive failure in mathematics, and the use of large language models for psychometrically sound evaluation. Dr. Rahimi leads the CLASS Lab (Creative Learning through AI and Stealth Assessment in STEM), which develops AI-powered tools — including ProductiveMath, Physics Playground, EarSketch, and Storiza — that make learning more personalized, adaptive, and engaging.
Teaching
- CLL 4803 – Learning Experience Design, Georgia Tech (2026–present)
- EME 7938 – Seminar in Educational Media, UF (Spring 2026)
- EME 6651 – Learning Analytics Concepts, UF (Spring 2026)
- EME 6609 – Advanced Instructional Design (Learning Experience Design), UF (2025–2026)
- EME 6156 – Games and Simulations (online), UF (2024–2026)
- EME 6638 – Theory, Design, and Development of Stealth Assessment for Learning, UF (2022–2026)
- EME 6609 – Instructional Design (online), UF (2023–2026)
- EME 6609 – Advanced Instructional Design (Learning Experience Design; online), UF (2024)
- EME 3044 – Issues and Trends in Educational Technology (online), UF (2021–2026)
- EME 2040 – Introduction to Educational Technology, FSU
- Virtual Reality, KLMU
- Multimedia Authoring, KLMU
- Animation Techniques, KLMU
- 2D Animation, KLMU
- 3D Animation, KLMU
- Digital Effects and Compositing, KLMU
- Multimedia Project Management, KLMU
- Script Writing and Storyboarding, KLMU
Service
Institutional Service
| 2025–present | Member, AI Student Engagement and Experiential Learning, AI² Center, UF |
| 2025–present | Reviewer, UF Research Opportunity Seed Fund (ROSF) |
| 2024–present | Division Chair, External Partnerships, Institute for Advanced Learning Technologies, UF |
| 2024–present | Committee Member, School of Teaching & Learning’s Research Advisory Committee, UF |
| 2022–2024 | Committee Member, School of Teaching & Learning’s Merit & Promotion Committee, UF |
| 2023–2024 | Committee Chair, College of Education’s Long Range Planning Committee, UF |
| 2022–2023 | Committee Member, College of Education’s Long Range Planning Committee, UF |
| 2018–2019 | Committee Member, Instructional Systems Students Association (ISSA), FSU |
| 2017–2018 | Committee Member & Head of Reporting, ISSA, FSU |
| 2016–2017 | Committee Member & Head of Reporting, ISSA, FSU |
Professional Organizational Service
| 2026–present | Committee Chair, Social Media Committee, NCME Organization |
| 2024–2026 | Committee Member, Communication Committee, NCME Organization |
| 2024 | Distinguished Paper Award Committee, FERA |
Editorial Service
| 2024–present | Associate Editor, Creativity Research Journal |
| 2024–present | Guest Editor, Special Issue on Stealth Assessment, Journal of Research on Technology in Education |
Reviewer
Refereed Journals
- Educational Technology Research & Development (ETR&D)
- Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts (PACA)
- Journal of Research on Technology in Education (JRTE)
- British Journal of Educational Technology (BJET)
- Journal of Computers & Education (CAE)
- Computers in Human Behavior (CHB)
- Journal of Computer Assisted Learning (JCAL)
- Journal of Computing in Higher Education (JCHE)
- International Journal of Technology, Instruction, Cognition, and Learning (TICL)
- The Internet and Higher Education (INTHIG)
- Computer Science Education (CSE)
- Data Science Education in K-12 Conference (DSE-K12)
- Journal of Science Education and Technology
- Frontiers in Psychology
Grant Proposals
- ITEST Panel Reviewer (NSF)
- RITEL Panel Reviewer (NSF)
Awards, Fellowships & Nominations
- B. O. Smith Professorship Award (2025–2026), College of Education, University of Florida — $20,000 in support of research
- Best Poster Award, UF College of Education Research Symposium (2025) — Designing an AI-powered Platform to Support Teachers in Creating Algebra Problems for Productive Failure Teaching in K-12 Classes
- Best Paper Nomination, International Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Education — Late Breaking Results Track (July 2025) — ProductiveMath: A Generative-AI-Powered App to Support Productive Failure Teaching
- Best Paper Runner-Up Award, UF College of Education Research Symposium (2025) — Fail Forward: Designing a Platform to Support Productive Failure in the Classroom
- College of Education International Educator of the Year (2024), University of Florida
- Diane E. Haines Teaching Excellence Award (May 2024), University of Florida — $1,000
- Selected as one of the “Rising Stars of Creativity Research” for a special issue of the Creativity Research Journal (Spring 2024)
- Reviewer Excellence Award (2023), Educational Technology Research & Development (ETR&D) Journal
- Participant, Learning Analytics in STEM Education Research (LASER) Institute, funded by NSF — $1,500 (June 2021)
- Top 3 Best Papers — Robert M. Gagné Research Award, College of Education, Florida State University (2020)
- Top 10 Finalist, 3-Minute-Thesis (3MT) Competition, Florida State University (2019) — $100
- Ruby Diamond Future Professor Award (2018), Instructional Systems & Learning Technology, Florida State University — $500
- Finalist, Liliana Muhlman Masoner Outstanding International Doctoral Student Award (2018), Florida State University
- External Award Winner, Celebration of Graduate Student Excellence, Florida State University (April 2018) — PISA/OECD External Award, $8,000
- Nominated to deliver a talk at TEDx FSU (2018)
- Featured Graduate Student, Torch Magazine (2017), College of Education, Florida State University
- Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award (2016–2017), Florida State University — $750
- William A. Kerr Fellowship (2014–2015), Florida State University — $11,000
- Best Photographer, Parvaz Magazine (2013), Malaysia