Prof. Christine Suurtamm

Email: suurtamm@uottawa.ca

Position
Assistant Professor
Faculty of Education, University of Ottawa

Research Interests
Mathematics Education
Mathematics Teacher Development
Assessment

Background Information
Christine Suurtamm obtained her bachelor of arts in mathematics from York University and her bachelor of education, master’s, and doctorate from the University of Toronto. She began her career as a secondary school mathematics teacher. After completing graduate work, she taught as a seconded professor for the Faculty of Education at York University and then joined the Faculty of Education at the University of Ottawa in 2002 as an assistant professor.

She has made contributions to mathematics curriculum development and implementation in Ontario and was the co-chair of the Ontario Early Math Expert Panel. In 2001, she received the Ontario Association for Mathematics Education Award for Excellence and Creativity in Mathematics Teaching. In 2005, she received the Capital Educators’ Award for teaching excellence.

Professor Suurtamm has presented both nationally and internationally in the area of mathematics teaching and learning. She is particularly interested in how teachers’ views of mathematics shape their classroom practice and was awarded a Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI) grant to establish a laboratory for research in mathematics education.

Current Projects

Studies of the Implementation of the Early Reading and Early Math Strategies
Principal Investigator
Research Contract with the Ontario Ministry of Education
(PAST) This project is being conducted by a 7-member Faculty of Education, University of Ottawa research team. The two-year study examines a particular provincial professional development initiative in reading and math in grades 1-3. The Study includes the analysis of data gathered through questionnaires, interviews, document analysis and case studies and includes contact with 14, 000 participants.

Teachers' Immersion in Mathematical Inquiry (Math Camp)
Co-investigator with Dr. Barbara Graves
This project is a longitudinal study to examine teachers' understanding of mathematics and how that understanding develops within inquiry-based learning and teaching environments. The study is in its third year and has included questionnaires, focus group interview, reflective journals and participant observation. The study includes work with 162 prospective and beginning teachers.

Curriculum Implementation in Intermediate Mathematics (CIIM) Project
Co-investigator with Dr. Barbara Graves
Research Contract with the Ontario Ministry of Education
This project is being conducted by the Pi Group at the Faculty of Education. The three-year study examines the implementation of the Ontario mathematics curriculum in grades 7-10.

Évaluation d'un modèle collaboratif
Ce projet, qui a débuté en janvier 2005, vise à évaluer l'impact d'un modèle de formation continue en enseignement des mathématiques à l'élémentaire. Il s'agit d'un projet réalisé auprès d'enseignantes et d'enseignants qui participent à la mise à l'essai de ressources pédagogiques. Le modèle de formation repose sur une approche de collaboration. D'un côté les rédacteurs/formateurs ont la chance de valider des ressources élaborées et de l'autre les enseignantes et enseignants reçoivent une formation pédagogique et didactique durant une année. La deuxième phase du projet portera sur l'impact du ce modèle de formation sur le rendement des élèves. Ce projet s'effectue en collaboration avec Nancy Vézina et une équipe du CFORP.

Selected Publications

Suurtamm, C. & Roulet, G. (in press). Modelling in Ontario: Success in Moving along the Continuum. In W. Blum (Ed.) ICMI Study Volume 14: Applications and Modelling. Kluwer Academic Press.

Lawson, A., & Suurtamm, C. (accepted). The challenges and possibilities of aligning large-scale testing with mathematical reform: The case of Ontario.Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy & Practice.

Suurtamm, C. (accepted). Le développement de la littératie mathématiques. Dans A.M. Dionne, & M.J. Berger (Eds.) Les Litteraties: Perspectives linguistique, familiale. University of Ottawa Press.

Vézina, N. et Suurtamm, C. (2006). Using Collaboration to Transform the Teaching of Mathematics : A Case Study with Elementary School Teachers. 2006 Hawaii International Conference on Education. Honolulu, Hawaii, January 6, 2006.

Suurtamm, C. (2004). Developing authentic assessment: Case studies of secondary school mathematics teachers’ experiences. Canadian Journal of Science, Mathematics and Technology Education, 4. 497-513.

Suurtamm, C., Graves, B., Vézina, N. (2004). Longitudinal Study of Professional Development to Build Primary Teacher Expertise in Teaching Mathematics. In D. McDougall & J. Ross (Eds.). Proceedings of the North American Chapter of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education (Vol. 3, pp. 1111-1118). Toronto, ON.

External Community Contributions

• Chair, Local Organizing Committee, Canadian Mathematics Education Study Group Conference, University of Ottawa.
• 2005
• Co-Chair, Symposium on Mathematical Thinking Tools, London, Ontario. 2005
• Co-Chair, Working Group on Primary Mathematics, Canadian Mathematical Society, Canadian Mathematics Education
• Forum, Toronto, Ontario. 2005
• Programme Committee, Canadian Mathematical Society, Mathematics Education Forum. 2004-2005
• Co-Chair, Ontario Ministry of Education, Early Mathematics Expert Panel. 2002-2003
• Director, Ontario Association for Mathematics Education. 2000-2004

Courses taught by Prof. Suurtamm

Pre-service teacher education courses:
• PED 3187: Teaching Mathematics at the Intermediate Division
• PED 4187: Teaching Mathematics at the Senior Division

Graduate level courses:
• EDU 5190: Introduction to Research in Education
• EDU 5357: Critical Issues in the Teaching of Mathematics, Science, and Technology
• EDU 5399: Development of Assessment and Evaluation Instruments
• EDU 6293: Formative Evaluation of Learning
• EDU 7163: Theoretical Perspectives in Mathematics Education