Collaborations (Archive)
RUSMP collaborates with schools, school districts, community organizations, government agencies, corporations, other departments at Rice, and other universities. Below are examples of collaborative RUSMP projects.
Bebras Computing Challenge
Bebras is an international initiative whose goal is to promote Informatics (or Computer Science, or Computing) and Computational Thinking especially among teachers and students of all ages, but also to the public at large by extent. The big challenge of Bebras is to organize easily accessible and highly motivating online challenges in many countries including the U.S. RUSMP was proud to be the host of the Invitational Round of the 2016 Bebras Computing Challenge that was held on October 1, 2016 on Rice University campus. Read more about this event here.
Charles A. Dana Center at the University of Texas at Austin
RUSMP collaborated with the Charles A. Dana Center at the University of Texas, Austin, to develop TEXTEAMS Mathematics Institutes as well as an Algebra I Assessment document. RUSMP Directors have served on the various Dana Center projects including the leadership team of the Advanced Placement Equity Center and the advisory boards for Algebra II and the FIPSE project, Supporting and Strengthening Standards-based Mathematics Teacher Preparation. RUSMP personnel continue to offer selected TEXTEAMS Mathematics Institutes through contracts with local school districts when requested.
Children’s Museum of Houston – Cyber Clubhouse
In collaboration with the Psychology Department at Rice University and the Children's Museum of Houston, RUSMP planned and piloted a project designed to address current inequities in access to educational technology. Housed in the Children's Museum computer lab, the project is a low cost, community-based approach to providing access to educational software for low-income families. The program is a model for similar labs in university, museum, community center, or school settings.
Code.org
RUSMP was selected by Code.org to be a local hub for Code.org professional learning and computer science (CS) education for K-12 teachers to expand pre-college students' access to CS. Code.org is a national nonprofit dedicated to expanding access to CS and, in particular, to increasing the participation of women and underrepresented ethnic minority students in CS. Additional funding for RUSMP CS programs has been generously provided by WeTeach_CS Collaborative and Schlumberger. The partnership sundowned during the summer of 2021.
Consumer Energy Alliance
RUSMP sponsored a booth at the 2015 Energy Day Festival which is presented by the Consumer Energy Alliance and the Consumer Energy Education Foundation. This event is a free, family, annual festival with interactive exhibits and demonstrations geared toward K-12 students and their families showcasing STEM, energy, conservation, efficiency, and careers in the energy industry. RUSMP also provided support by helping publicize this exciting event across the greater Houston area.
Education for the Energy Industry (EEI)
RUSMP, in collaboration with Aldine ISD and Harris County Department of Education, provided on-site professional development and support at Bethune and Drew Academies and Carver High School. During the summer, teachers from these schools collaborate with RUSMP personnel to design curriculum to present to their students in summer school programs. During the academic year, teachers planned instruction collaboratively for their classrooms and participated in RUSMP programs. Much of the emphasis was on developing students' awareness of energy-related professions and of the mathematics used in the energy industry.
Equity Initiatives for Science and Mathematics
RUSMP personnel collaborated to plan the curriculum for the Science and Mathematics Institute (SMI) for elementary teachers and spoke on assessment and the RUSMP Learning Plan. For the Equitable Classroom Practices Institute, RUSMP personnel made presentations on equitable classroom practices for the mathematics classroom for teachers and administrators who attended these summer institutes.
Expanding Your Horizons
In 1993 at the suggestion of a former RUSMP participant, RUSMP brought the American Association of University Women’s (AAUW) Expanding Your Horizons (EYH) Conference to the Rice University campus. This annual conference for middle school girls, their parents, teachers, and counselors is designed to increase young women's interest in mathematics and science and to foster awareness of career opportunities for women in mathematics- and science- related fields. EYH provides students an opportunity to meet working women in nontraditional professions and provides adults with ways to foster and promote gender equity in the classroom. The conference is now held annually at other locations.
GK-12 Fellows
A project of the National Science Foundation, the GK-12 Fellows Program teamed outstanding undergraduate and graduate students from Rice University and the University of Houston's central and downtown campuses with veteran and novice teachers at four middle schools in the Houston Independent School District in an exchange of content knowledge and pedagogy. RUSMP was instrumental in the development of the program and the training of the university fellows.
Houston ISD SMART Grant
RUSMP provided support for HISD's ACP and TFA teachers through its SMART grant. RUSMP created preparation materials for the TExAS (mathematics 4-8 and 8-12), recommended and purchased mathematics libraries and manipulatives for teachers, and is providing professional development and support for mathematics and science teachers. RUSMP's Director served on the SMART Advisory Board.
Houston Urban Systemic Initiative (HU-LINC)
RUSMP personnel were part of the design team for HISD's Urban Systemic Initiative from the onset and actively participated in planning the first HU-LINC Conference. They served on the HU-LINC University Coalition and the Professional Development Task Force. A district-wide mathematics needs assessment was conducted by RUSMP for HU-LINC. Many of the RUSMP professional development programs were supported by HU-LINC funding.
iEducateUSA
iEducateUSA is a nonprofit organization committed to tutoring young children from inner city public schools in science and mathematics. iEducateUSA Fellows, undergraduate and graduate students at local colleges and universities, work alongside classroom teachers to improve the overall classroom education. RUSMP provided support through recruitment and publicity efforts at Rice University.
Institute for Advanced Study/Park City Mathematics Institute
In collaboration with the Rice University Department of Mathematics, RUSMP coordinates the Houston site of the Institute for Advanced Study/Park City Mathematics Institute. Activities for the Houston area high school teachers who were selected to participate in the two-year summer program include programs on the Rice campus for the teachers and their students and discussions about mathematics.
The Math Tools Leadership Development Workshop
RUSMP collaborated with The Math Forum @ Drexel University using the National Science Foundation's National Science Digital Library to develop a series of workshops for Houston-area teachers. Houston teachers received professional development to help them become leaders in the use of Internet-based resources for the mathematics classroom. Teachers also received online support for the duration of the program.
National Science Foundation - The Rice University Mathematics Leadership Institute
To nurture the intellectual curiosity and stimulate the teaching repertoire of high school mathematics teachers in the Houston area, Rice University and RUSMP were awarded a National Science Foundation grant in the amount $3,799,311 to establish a Mathematics Leadership Institute (MLI). MLI engaged a total of 80 teachers over a five-year period that began in June, 2005. RUSMP together with the Computational and Applied Mathematics, Mathematics, and Statistics departments of Rice University partnered with two very ethnically diverse school districts, Aldine (AISD) and Houston (HISD) Independent School Districts. An NSF supplement to this grant further developed nine of the lead teachers as master teachers and local mathematics leaders. Research on the MLI program (2004-2010) indicates that lead teachers had sustained positive impacts on school-level and district-level collaborations among administrators and teachers, instructional planning, and mathematics instruction. The program also increased the number of teachers receiving Texas Master Mathematics Teacher (8-12) certification from 27 to 48, a 78% increase.
Polyhedra: Learning by Building
RUSMP supported the development of the "Polyhedra: Learning by Building" project. In this project large, brightly colored triangles are used to create polyhedra. Project developers were Simon Morgan, Ph.D. (Coordinator), Eva Knoll (Designer), Jackie Sack, Ed.D. (Middle School Teacher), and Carolyn White (Elementary School Teacher).
Project GRAD - Houston ISD
Initiated in the Houston Independent School District in 1993, Project GRAD (Graduation Really Achieves Dreams) is a school-community collaborative to improve the instructional quality and school culture of at-risk feeder systems of schools. Project GRAD is a not-for-profit organization currently partnered with 24 schools reaching over 17,000 Hispanic and African American children. RUSMP's work with Project GRAD was varied. RUSMP personnel served as curriculum authors and consultants and provided teacher training to help Project GRAD with their federal "Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP)" grant. RUSMP also developed a summer program for academically gifted students from Project GRAD schools, The Rice University/Project GRAD Advanced Summer Mathematics Academy was held annually on the Rice campus from 2001 through 2014. This program was designed to ensure the continued success of these students in advanced mathematics courses while exposing them to a university atmosphere.
Region IV Educational Service Center
RUSMP worked with the Region IV Educational Service Center to create curricular materials for teacher development and student classroom use. TEXTEAMS Geometry Across the TEKS consists of two staff development modules, one for teachers of grades 6-8 and one for high school teachers. These institutes focus on how to incorporate the teaching of geometry concepts throughout the mathematics curriculum. The Algebra II/MMA Project developed a curriculum that allows students to receive support in Algebra II through a parallel in course in Mathematical Modeling with Applications. The Algebra I/Integrated Physics and Chemistry Project developed interdisciplinary units in mathematics and science for use with high school students. The Region IV mathematics team served on the writing team for RUSMP's Geometry Module for the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. Region IV also provided the Texas Mathematics Master Teacher certification training for the Rice University Mathematics Leadership Institute's lead teachers.
Rice University Department of Psychology
RUSMP Director of Research was an instructor for Research Methods - Psychology, a Rice University Psychology course with an emphasis on individual student experiments and the writing of research reports.
Richard Tapia Center for Excellence and Equity
RUSMP collaborated with the Richard Tapia Center for Excellence and Equity (TCEE) on the Tapia Math-Science Scholars (TMSS) program for high school students. Students attend intensive mathematics courses presented by RUSMP's Anne Papakonstantinou and Richard Parr among other activities during the 4-week program on the Rice University campus.
Southern Regional Education Board
RUSMP reviewed the alignment of the Mathematics Assessment Project Formative Assessment Lessons to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for the Southern Regional Education Board. These assessments, developed at the MARS Shell Center at the University of Nottingham, provide secondary mathematics teachers with hands-on activities designed to determine students’ understanding of a variety of mathematics concepts.
TEA Initiatives
The Rice University School Mathematics Project as a TEA approved service provider developed the content knowledge and instructional expertise of teachers who instruct students in mathematics at the middle school, junior high school, or high school levels. RUSMP worked with the Galveston ISD as part of their Secondary Mathematics Teachers Support grant, and with King Middle School in the Beaumont ISD as part of their Algebra Readiness grant. RUSMP also collaborated with Bartlett ISD, Galena Park ISD, Galveston ISD, Houston ISD, La Marque ISD, Pasadena ISD, and Weslaco ISD on the Mathematical Instructional Coaches Pilot Program; with Galveston ISD, Gateway Charter School, and Pasadena ISD on their Intensive Summer Programs grant; and Deady, Holland, and Marshall Middle Schools in HISD with their Algebra Readiness grants.
Texas Council for Economic Education
RUSMP partnered with Smarter Texas and the Texas Council for Economic Education (TCEE) and reviewed lessons for classrooms and after school programs on personal financial literacy for grades K-12 educators.