Rebecca Ortiz
Texas Tech University
College of Education
Department of Curriculum and Instruction
P.O. Box 41071
Lubbock, TX 79409-1071
(806) 834-1955
email: rebecca.ortiz@ttu.edu
Education:
Ph.D.
2005
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M.Ed.
B.S.
Dissertation Topic: Gender Issues in the Mathematics Classroom: Student Perceptions
and Parental Beliefs
Dissertation Chair: Dr. Charles Geer
Texas Tech University
Master’s of Education Degree conferred in August 1999.
-- Emphasis: Elementary Education
-- G.P.A. 4.00
-- ExCET taken on 4-17-99: Passed
1986
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Lubbock,
Doctoral Degree in Curriculum and Instruction
-- Emphasis: Math Education
-- G.P.A. 4.00
1999
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Texas Tech University
TX
University of Colorado at Colorado Springs
College of Business
-- Major: Human Resource Management
-- Minor: Organizational Management
Lubbock, TX
Teaching Experience:
Assistant Professor
August 2008 – Present
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Texas Tech University
Lubbock, TX
Assistant Professor
-- EDEL 6370 “Studies in Mathematics Education”
-- Graduate course for Masters and PhD students that extensively examines content area for EC-6
-- Provide opportunity for students to delve into specific strands of mathematics
-- Exploration and understanding of assessment as it pertains to content area
-- Understanding and development of various assessment strategies
-- Emphasis on diversity, assessment, and curriculum development to meet students’ needs
-- EDEL 5370 “Developing Mathematics Programs in Elementary Education”
-- Extensively examines content area for EC-6
-- Provide opportunity for students to engage content and mathematics education pedagogy
-- Exploration and understanding of assessment as it pertains to content area
-- Understanding and development of various assessment strategies
-- Emphasis on diversity, assessment, and curriculum development to meet students’ needs
-- EDEL 5375 “Developing Science Programs in Elementary Education”
-- Extensively examines content area for EC-6
-- Provide opportunity for students to engage content and understand science education pedagogy
-- Exploration and understanding of assessment as it pertains to content area
-- Understanding and development of various assessment strategies
-- Emphasis on diversity, assessment, and curriculum development to meet students’ needs
- EDCI 5372 “Assessment Issues In Science and Math Education”
- Examine the role of assessment in the classroom
- Exploration of current issues related to assessment
- The multiple dimensions of assessment
- The process of assessment in the classroom
- The use of data to inform instruction
- Use of individual classroom data to determine learning outcomes
- Emphasis on data to inform instruction and assist students in understanding their learning
-- EDCI 5371 “Curriculum and Instruction in Sciences and Math Education “
-- Graduate level class to examine the curriculum and instructional practices for mathematics and
science at the middle level
-- Examines mathematics and science integration in the middle school grades
-- Content area exploration and emphasis on teaching strategies
-- Emphasis on inquiry-driven teaching and the 5-E model
-- Emphasis on diversity, assessment, and curriculum development to meet students’ needs
-- EDSE 5377 “Science Curriculum and Instruction”
-- Graduate level class to examine the curriculum and instructional practices for science
-- Examines science in the middle school grades
-- Content area exploration and emphasis on teaching strategies
-- Emphasis on inquiry-driven teaching and the 5-E model
-- Emphasis on diversity, assessment, and curriculum development to meet students’ needs
-- EDCI 5373 “Designing Project-Enhanced Environments for Science and Mathematics”
-- Education course for the NSF GK-12 grant Building Bridges: Integrating Mathematics,
Science, and Engineering Education on the South Plains.
-- Closely aligns the mathematics and science curriculum to emphasize integration
-- Examination of curriculum and instructional practices for math and science
-- Content area exploration and emphasis on teaching strategies
-- Emphasis on inquiry-driven teaching and the 5-E model
-- Emphasis on use of project-enhanced classroom, pedagogy, purpose, and utilization
-- EDEL 4370 “Teaching Mathematics in the Elementary School”
-- Content area exploration and emphasis on teaching strategies
-- Exploration and understanding of assessment as it pertains to content area
-- Understanding and development of various assessment strategies
-- Emphasis on diversity, assessment, and curriculum development to meet students’ needs
-- EDCI 4375 “Integrated Mathematics and Science”
-- Specifically addressed mathematics and science integration in the middle school grades
-- Content area exploration and emphasis on teaching strategies
-- Emphasis on inquiry-driven teaching and the 5-E model
-- Emphasis on diversity, assessment, and curriculum development to meet students’ needs
Administrative Experience and Responsibilities:
Co-Director of (MS)2: Understanding by Design project
June 2010 – June 2012
Texas Tech University
Lubbock, TX
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Coordinate all grant functions
Maintain and resolve budget issues
Provide interim and annual reports to funder
Develop and maintain a strong and positive relationship with funder
Ensure that university, state, and federal guidelines are being met
Schedule classes and ensure needed services are available
Conduct monthly meetings with Co-Primary Investigators
Conduct weekly meetings with Co-Director
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Keep the university abreast of issues
Develop a model for improving the content knowledge of middle level teachers
Ensure targets are being met or that grant is on track for this to be done
Develop and coordinate annual conference for attendees from across the state
Maintain relationship with external evaluator
Organize data being gathered as a result of courses
Supervise three staff positions
Resolve issues as they arise
Conduct the integration and assessment courses
Develop assessment course for participants
Conduct and/or participate in annual meetings with funder and University of Houston
Present the program at state conferences
Recruitment Director for (MS)2: Understanding by Design project
December 2008 – June 2012
Texas Tech University
Lubbock, TX
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Responsible for obtaining potential participants
Organize and implement a recruiting strategy that obtains teachers from across the state of Texas
Focus on districts that serve higher-risk populations
Maintain relationships with school districts across the state
Travel across the state and obtain participants
Recruit at state conferences for both mathematics and science
Resolve issues as they arise
Teacher Certification Undergraduate Academic Affairs Committee (TCUAAC)
January 2009 – Present
Texas Tech University
Lubbock, TX
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Examines issues involving undergraduate pre-service teachers
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Determines changes needed in undergraduate program
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Active member of committee
Assistant Professor
August 2006 – June 2008
Sam Houston State University
Huntsville, TX
Assistant Professor
-- EED 434 “Mathematics in the Elementary School”
-- 3 sections: 2 elementary, 1 middle school
-- Content area exploration and emphasis on teaching strategies
-- Exploration and understanding of assessment as it pertains to content area
-- Understanding and development of various assessment strategies
-- Emphasis on diversity in the classroom and assessment
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-- EED 434 “Mathematics in the Elementary and Middle School”
-- Initiate class designed to specifically address mathematics in the middle school grades
-- Content area exploration and emphasis on teaching strategies
-- Exploration and understanding of assessment as it pertains to content area
-- Understanding and development of various assessment strategies
-- Emphasis on diversity in the classroom and assessment
-- EED 475 “Problems in Curriculum and Assessment for the Middle Grades”
-- Initiate class specifically developed for the middle school grades
-- In-depth critique and analysis of curriculum per content area and as used during field experience
-- In-depth analysis of assessment per content area and as utilized during field experience
-- Development of understanding purpose of assessment and how implemented in classroom
-- Development of various strategies utilized for assessment and curriculum
-- Analysis of assessment utilized; effectiveness and appropriateness of assessment tools
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School Coordinator of field experience for students
Active team participant in development and creation of middle school program initiated Spring 2007
Development of course outlines and materials for new middle level course EED 475
Continued development and refinement of materials, outlines, and procedure for class instruction to
reflect best practices and current research in education
Member of team that worked with Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Director of Educator
Preparation, Dr. Susan Hetzler, to redesign the field experience component of the Elementary Methods
Block; utilized information to design the Middle School Methods Block
Participant in the Parsing the First Year of College Study, Pennsylvania State University
Attended the Association of Teacher Educators Conference
-- San Diego, California, February 2007
Attended the NCATE Initial Orientation Conference representing Sam Houston State University
College of Education
-- Washington, DC, March 2007
Attended Models School Conference representing Sam Houston State University
-- Washington, DC July 2007
Administrative Experience and Responsibilities:
Program Coordinator
August 2007 – June 2008
Sam Houston State University
Huntsville, TX
 Coordinator of Academic Studies Program
-- Elementary Program
-- Middle School Program
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Department of Curriculum and Instruction Leadership Team
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Sam Houston State University College of Education Representative to the Texas State University System
on $3 million Teacher Skill Development Master’s Degree Program collaborative grant Committee Member
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Institutional Review Board Appointment, Human subjects Committee for Sam Houston State University
College of Education Diversity Committee Chairperson
College of Education Assessment Committee
College of Education Enrichment Committee
Development of K-6 Degree Program Committee
Ad hoc committee on College of Education Advisement
Visiting Assistant Professor
August 2005 – August 2006
Texas Tech University
Lubbock, Texas
 Visiting Assistant Professor
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-- Graduate Faculty appointment
-- EDEL 4370 “Teaching Mathematics in the Elementary School”
-- EDEL 5370 “Developing Mathematics Programs in Elementary Education”
-- EDCI 3320 “Middle Level Curriculum and Philosophy”
-- EDEL 2300 “Schools, Society and Diversity”
-- All courses designed to examine all aspects of teaching
-- Emphasis on assessment, its roles in the classroom, appropriate use and various strategies as
appropriate for the course
University Supervisor for student teachers
Monitored placements for students enrolled in EDEL 4370
Developed course outline and materials needed for class instruction
Participant in monthly Elementary Education and Curriculum and Instruction Faculty Meetings
Adjunct Professor
November 2005 – August 2006
Wayland Baptist University
Lubbock, Texas
 Adjunct Professor
-- EDUC 4301 “Teaching Science in the Elementary and Middle School”
-- EDUC 5323 “Mathematics in the Elementary School”
-- EDUC 4305 “Teaching Mathematics in the Elementary and Middle School”
-- All courses designed to examine all aspects of teaching
-- Emphasis on assessment, its roles in the classroom, appropriate use and various strategies as
appropriate for the course
Instructor and University Supervisor
August 2003 – August 2005
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Instructor
Texas Tech University
Lubbock, Texas
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-- EDEL 4370 “Teaching Mathematics in the Elementary School”
-- EDEL 2300 “Schools, Society, and Diversity”
-- EDSE 2300 “Schools, Society and Diversity”
-- EDEL 4375 Co-instructor “Teaching Science in the Elementary School”
-- All courses designed to examine all aspects of teaching
-- Emphasis on assessment, its roles in the classroom, appropriate use and various strategies as
appropriate for the course
Member of National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education Stakeholders Committee
Monitored placements for students enrolled in EDEL 4370
Developed course outline and materials needed for class instruction
University Supervisor for student teachers
Supervisor for middle level field experience program
Fifth Grade Teacher
June 2001 - May 2003
Shallowater Intermediate School
Shallowater, Texas
Science Instruction
Sixth Grade Teacher
August 1999-June 2001
Bayless Elementary School
Lubbock, TX
Mathematics Instruction
Professional Activities:
Professional Presentations:
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Co-author and presenter at the 2011 Annual American Educational Research Association Meeting
--New Orleans, Louisiana, April 2011
“Inciting innovation in math and science teaching through meaningful content integration: Developing
teachers’ content and pedagogical knowledge”
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Co-author and presenter at the 38th Annual Research Council on Mathematics Learning
--Cincinnati, Ohio March 2011
“An Examination of Pre-Service Teachers: Content Acquisition & Implementation”
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Co-author and presenter at the 2011 Southwest Educational Research Association Meeting
--San Antonio, TX February 2011
“Science and Mathematics Integration Protocol: Lessons Learned from Videotaped Lessons”
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Co-author and presenter at the 2011 Southwest Educational Research Association Meeting
--San Antonio, TX February 2011
“Pre-Service Teachers and Representations”
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Co-author and presenter at the 2011 Joint Mathematics Meetings
--New Orleans, LA January 2011
“Prospective Teachers' Self-Assessment Based on Reflective Writing Assignments in a Pre-service Math
Course”
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Co-author presented at the Race, Ethnicity and Community Engagement in Higher Education Conference
--Lubbock, TX October 2010
“Alternative Teacher Certification Program and Diversity in the Schools”
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Co-author and presenter at the Conference for the Advancement of Mathematics Teaching
--Houston, TX July 2009
“Do Your Students Understand the Language of Math?”
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Co-author and presenter at the Conference for the Advancement of Mathematics Teaching
--Houston, TX July 2009
“Making Algebra Accessible to Elementary Students”
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Co-author and presenter at the National Middle School Middle Level Essentials Conference
--Las Vegas, NV April 2009
“From Ellis Island to Sewer Lice: Preparing Teachers to Teach Across Disciplines”
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Co-author and presenter at the Annual Research Council on Mathematics Learning
--Rome, GA March 2009
“Pre-Service Teachers Engage in Contextual Mathematics”
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Co-author and presenter at the 13th Annual Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators Conference
--Orlando, FL February 2009
“Pre-service Teachers’ Field Experience in a Middle School with a Highly Prescriptive Mathematics
Program””
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Proposal accepted for the Southwest Educational Research Association
--New Orleans, Louisiana, February 2008
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Proposal accepted for the Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators
--Tulsa, Oklahoma, January 2008
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Proposal accepted for the Southwest Educational Research Association
--New Orleans, Louisiana, February 2008
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Presenter at the 33rd Annual Research on Women and Education
-- San Antonio, Texas, October 2007
“Addressing Student Diversity and Differentiated Instruction: A Risk-Taking Task for Female
Teacher Candidates“
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Proposal accepted for National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
--Atlanta, Georgia, March 2007
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Presenter at the Twelfth Annual Panhandle Area Mathematics and Science Conference – Cañon,
Texas, September 2005
“The Use of Literature in the Mathematics Classroom”
Co-author and presenter at the 2005 Annual American Educational Research Association Meeting
--Montreal, Canada
“Epistemic Beliefs and Perceptions about Parenting Style: The Influence of Socio-cultural Context on
Adolescent Development of Controlled Motivation”
Presented with Dr. Janet White from Texas Tech University
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Presenter at the 81st Annual Meeting of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
-- San Antonio, TX, April 2003
“Making Connections: Using Literature to Teach Mathematical Concepts”
Presented with Dr. Charles Geer from Texas Tech University
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Researcher and Presenter at the 19th Annual Conference of The Southwest/Texas Popular Culture
Association
--Lubbock, TX, January 1998
“She’s Not Like Me: The Multiple Representations of Girls in Children’s Texts”
Presented with Dr. Holly Johnson from Texas Tech University
Current Grant Work:
2012- 2016
U.S. Department of Education: Proyecto English Learner Science and
Mathematics Education (Proyecto EL SMED)
$2.9 million grant from the Department of Education (Co-PI)
Past Grant Work:
2008-2013
The Greater Texas Foundation, Middle School Math and Science (MS)2:
Understanding by Design in collaboration with the Texas Tech Mathematics and Science
Departments. $3,000,000
$3 million grant (Co-Director) (Recruitment Director)
Current Research:
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Aguirre-Muñoz, Z, Ortiz, B., Williams, B., & Lamp, D. (accepted). Building teachers’ capacity to
integrate math and science content: Implications for professional learning models. Journal of
Science Teacher Education.
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Aguirre-Muñoz, Z., & Ortiz, R. (2011, November) Pedagogical content knowledge and the
integration of science & mathematics: Inciting innovation in a virtual environment. Paper
presented at the annual meeting of the School Science and Mathematics conference, Colorado
Springs, CO.
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Aguirre-Muñoz, Z., Ortiz, R., Lamp, D. & Williams, B. (2011, April) Inciting innovation in math and
science teaching through meaningful content integration: Developing teachers’ content and
pedagogical knowledge. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational
Research Association conference, New Orleans, LA.
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Ortiz, R., & Aguirre-Muñoz, Z., Lamp, D. & Williams, B. (2011, February) Science and
Mathematics Integration Protocol: Lessons learned from videotaped lessons. Paper presented at
the annual meeting of the Southwest Education Research Association, San Antonio TX.
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Ortiz, R., Aguirre-Muñoz, Z., Lamp, D., Williams, B. (under review). Mathematics and Science
Integration Rubric: Lessons Learned from Enacted Lessons. (submitted to Journal of
Science Teacher Education.)
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Ortiz, R. (in progress) Error analysis, correct identification and its value in the classroom.
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Ortiz, R., Valles, J. (in progress). Pre-Service Teachers and Representations.
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Ortiz, R. (in progress) The Teach Re-Teach Process: Internalizing the Importance of Differentiated
Instruction
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Ortiz, R. (in development) The Use of Writing and Manipulatives to Help Mathematics Learners
Additional Service Activities
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Graduate Faculty, Texas Tech University
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Tutorials for Elementary Master’s students completing their TExES/EXCET
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TCUAAC Committee Member
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On-line Course Integrity Committee (university level)
Professional Affiliations and Honors:
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National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
National Science Teachers Association
Research Council on Mathematics Learning
Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators
Southwest Educational Research Association
School, Science, and Math Association
Phi Delta Kappa Member
Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi
Texas Tech University Graduate Part-time Instructor of the Year 2003-2004
Texas Tech University Graduate Part-time Instructor of the Year 2004-2005
National Dean’s List 2004 – 2005
Invited Professional Support:
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South Plains Regional Science and Engineering Fair Judge 2011
Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX February 2011
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Guest Science Fair Judge for Centerville Independent School District
Centerville, Texas, October 2007
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Guest teacher in sixth grade science classroom; subject – physical science: friction and motion
Shallowater, Texas, September 2005 and October 2005