A case study of graduate professional development in the TAFE sector

There has been very little provision of professional development for teachers of mathematics in the technical and further education (TAFE) sector and even less evaluation and reporting on such programs. This paper presents a model for a professional development program in mathematics that was designed for TAFE teachers, as well as those from the K-12 sector. It is a case study that describes the implementation of the model with a group of TAFE teachers, considering such issues as the professional development needs perceived by the teachers, the components included in the program, and the evidence for the short- and long-term effectiveness of the program. The flexible structure of the program and the qualitative research base for the evaluation could be used as a model for professional development in other TAFE curriculum areas.