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This paper surveys various theories and models that have been used in the implementation of mathematics professional development programs in different countries for the past thirty years. The paper also reflects on the ongoing Mathematics Continuous Professional Development (MCPD) project's pilot study findings (reported in another paper of this special issue) that sought for an appropriate MCPD framework for South Africa. The South African study examined the status of existing MCPD practice and the challenges practitioners experienced in the implementation of MCPD programmes. The paper concludes that MCPD models can be categorized into two frameworks that should be considered for effective MCPD programs. These are the Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching (MKT) framework and the Organizational Framework of the MCPD that should also involve evaluation aspects in these frameworks. It is recommended that a framework that develops mathematics teachers and subject specialists in MKT combined with effective organizational structure at district level involving school principals, district officials, service providers and school based professional development activities could suit the current operational structure in the South African education system for effective MCPD.

KEYWORDS Mathematics Professional Development.Mathematics Teaching.Teacher Practices.Mathematics Teacher Development.Mathematics Teacher Knowledge ABSTRACT This paper reports on a pilot study on Mathematics Continuous Professional Development (MCPD) programmes in the post-apartheid era South Africa. The study examined current practices in mathematics professional development programmes and the challenges practitioners experience in the implementation of such programmes. The study involved five of the nine provinces in South Africa and the population of the study was 55 that consisted of teachers, principals, subject advisors, district officials, ministry of education and service providers. Data were collected by means of a questionnaire and interviews which were analysed using qualitative methods. The study found that the implementation of MCPD programmes was characterized by different factors such as relations between labour unions and the employer, the political legacy of the country and others. The study also established that different participating groups experienced different challenges regarding the implementation of MCPD programmes. The findings from this pilot study were also useful in the modification of some of the research instruments for main data collection.

In this paper, as a case study, the researcher looks at the performance of one mathematics module offered through Open distance learning (ODL) to student-teachers. The student-teachers' examination results for the past four years were analyzed and the set examination as well as performance for the year 2011 were analyzed in the six levels of the Bloom's taxonomy of the cognitive domain. The findings showed that the set paper reflected lower levels of the cognitive domain and the average performance in the past years was generally good. The findings also indicated that most students performed well in the lower levels indicating that they had not achieved adequate knowledge in higher levels important for critical thinking and problem solving. It was concluded that lower levels in the set examination and the poor performance in higher levels did not reflect quality in the module offered.