Queensland Studies Authority Quality-assurance processes
Dec 23, 2015
Queensland Studies AuthorityQuality-assurance processes
Partnership
The QSA operates a moderation system that is built upon a close partnership with schools.
Responsibilities of the QSA
• Development, review and approval of Early Years Curriculum Guidelines and syllabuses for Years 112
• Development of professional resources for teachers
• Testing, assessment and moderation• Certification of Queensland students• Facilitation of tertiary entrance procedures
Responsibilities of schools
• Teaching and learning processes• Assessment of student achievements that
contribute towards the issue of a Student Education Profile (SEP)− Senior Statement− QCE− QCIA− Tertiary Entrance Statement
Responsibilities of the QA Unit
The Quality Assurance Unit is responsible for the quality assurance of:• Authority subjects
• Authority-registered subjects
• Queensland Certificate of Individual Achievement (QCIA)
• Learning projects.
Principles underpinning quality-assurance processes
• Externally moderated school-based assessment is aligned to syllabus and SAS documents.
• Evidence is required to substantiate schools’ decisions.
Quality in schools
QSA website
Standards-based assessment
• Stated in syllabuses and Study Area Specifications (SASs)
• Criteria: properties or characteristics by which student performances are appraised
• Standards: fixed reference points used to describe how well students have achieved the outcomes, objectives in syllabuses
Criteria and standards
Purposes of assessment
• Formative assessment is used to improve teaching and student achievement.
• Summative assessment is used to indicate the achievement status or standards achieved at particular points of schooling. It is geared towards reporting or certification.
Moderation of Authority subjects
Quality assurance of Authority subjects
State and district review panels
Syllabuses
State course aims and objectives, course organisation, learning experiences, standards and assessment.
Work program
• The school’s plan of how the course will be delivered and assessed
• Based on the school’s interpretation of the syllabus
• Caters for the special characteristics of the individual school and its students
• Must meet all syllabus requirements
Lodging work programs
• Lodged by the school moderator through the QSA website <www.qsa.qld.edu.au>
• Processed online by panellists• Can be amended
Form R3 (Year 11)
School proposal for interim levels of achievement
Interim levels of achieve-ment of sample
students
Very
hig
h a
chie
vem
ent
Hig
h a
chie
vem
ent
Sou
nd a
chie
vem
ent
Lim
ited a
chie
vem
ent
Very
lim
ited a
chieve
ment
School: School code:
Subject: Subject code: 0
District: Panel code:
The focus of the monitoring review is to provide advice to the school about implementation of the course of study and judgments concerning student achievement at this time. Five students should be identified by code letter A, B, C, D, E and placed appropriately to indicate the interim Level of Achievement. Further information regarding the preparation of the submission is available in The Moderation Handbook.
Number of students completing subject at Year 11:
School comments:
Signed by the Principal ....................................................................................................... Date: / /
Panel advice may include consideration of the following: implementation of the course of study conditions of assessment standards of sampled student work
quality and standard of assessment instruments appropriateness of assessment criteria proposed interim levels of achievement
concordance with ACACA guidelines for quality and equity in assessing student achievement
Review panel advice:
Recommended action(s):
Signed by Chair .................................................................................................... Date: / /
for state, or district review panel.
Before meeting: Original, duplicate and triplicate forwarded with samples to be reviewed. Quadruplicate retained by school when making initial submission.
Copies:
After meeting: Original returned to school. Duplicate retained by Chair and returned to District Coordinator. Triplicate retained by Chair.
Monitoring
Focus: provide advice to schools
Monitoring submission
• Form R3• Copy of the approved work program• Clean copies of assessment tasks (including
data on conditions)• Minimum of five sample student folios (or the
whole cohort, if less than five), with completed profiles
• Documentation of student performances
Form R6 (Year 12)
School proposal for levels of achievement
Relative achievements
of students Initial Panel Agreed Exit LOA
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
Ver
y H
igh
Ach
iev
emen
t
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
Hig
h A
chie
vem
ent
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
So
un
d A
chie
vem
ent
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
Lim
ited
Ach
ieve
men
t 10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1 Ver
y L
imit
ed A
ch
ieve
me
nt
D/SRPC Initials
School: School code:
Subject: Subject code: 0
District: Panel code:
I. Enter the ‘Initial school proposal’ for the ‘Distribution of levels of achievement’ for all students in the Year 12 cohort who have completed study of at least one semester of an approved school work program.
II. Complete the ‘Initial’ column, indicating the relative achievements of all students by writing the number of students on the appropriate rung and identifying any sample students by a letter code (A, B, C etc.), e.g. ‘6 + B’ (=7 students).
III. If agreement between the school and panel is reached through consultation following the verification meeting, then the school must complete the ‘Agreed’ column for sample students and the ‘Agreed Verification proposal’ row and immediately send all copies to the D/SRPC for signing.
IV. Significant changes in the distribution of relative achievements between Verification and exit require consultation with the S/DRPC and a completed Form R7 to be attached to the original of the Form R6.
V. At exit, complete the ‘Exit’ column as explained in (II) above. Identify, with a circle, ALL OP-ineligible students and visa students, e.g. ‘① ’ or ‘② + 4’ or ‘② + 3 + C’.
Distribution of levels of achievement: VHA HA SA LA VLA Total Signature and date
Initial school proposal ……………………………………. ....../….……/…… (Principal)
……………………………………. ....../….……/…… (Principal) Agreed Verification proposal ……………………………………. ....../….……/…… (D/SRPC)
Exit proposal ..…………………………………… ….../….……/…… (Principal)
Exit proposal recommended for certification Date: ……./……/…… ……………………………………….per MSA
School comments:
Signed by the principal.................................................................................................................. Date: / /
Review panel comments concerning standards and LOA decisions:
Consultation required Additional notes are attached
Note: Any additional notes must remain attached to the original Form R6.
Signed............................................................. for state, or district review panel. Date: / /
October Verification: Original, duplicate and triplicate forwarded with initial and any subsequent proposal. Quadruplicate retained by school.
Copies:
Exit: Original forwarded to QSA; duplicate retained by school.
This information is collected so that the legislated functions of the QSA concerning moderation can be carried out. Personal information is not usually disclosed to anyone other than relevant QSA staff unless required or authorised by law, permitted under the Queensland Government privacy policy, or so that the legislated function can be completed.
Queensland Studies Authority, Ground floor, 295 Ann Street Brisbane. PO Box 307 Spring Hill Q 4004. Phone: (07) 3864 0299; fax: (07) 3221 2553; email: [email protected]; website: qsa.qld.edu.au. SPB:mod
Verification
Focus: provide feedback to schools about the proposed match of folios to stated syllabus standard descriptors
Verification submission
• Form R6• Copy of the approved work program• Clean copies of assessment tasks • Minimum of nine sample student folios (or the
whole cohort, if less than nine), with completed profiles
• Documentation of student performances
Comparability
The consistent application of standards by teachers across the state so that student achievements of equivalent standards are recognised.
Panels compare standards and levels of achievement across all districts.
Confirmation
Distributions of levels of achievement are checked for accuracy and the appropriate application of the moderation processes.
Random sampling
The QSA reviews a stratified random sample of student exit folios.
Quality assurance of Authority-registered subjects
Study Area Specification (SAS)
Study area specification (SAS)
• States course aims and objectives, course organisation, learning experiences, standards and assessment
• Some SASs contain information about VET certificates
Study plan
• The school’s plan of how the course will be delivered and assessed
• Based on the school’s interpretation of the SAS
• Caters for the special characteristics of the individual school and its students
• Must meet all SAS requirements
Moderation meeting
Internal review
Internal review of Authority-registered subjects is the mechanism for schools to maintain the continuity of a quality management system in relation to student achievement and QSA procedures.
External reviews
External reviews of Authority-registered subjects are carried out by an officer of the QSA to support schools in the maintenance of their quality management system.
Queensland Certificate of Individual Achievement (QCIA)• The QCIA reports the educational
achievements of students whose learning is part of an individualised learning program.
• Students are eligible to receive this certificate if they have an impairment or learning difficulty.
• A number of processes are conducted to quality assure the certificate.
The quality-assurance process
Learning projects
• As part of their QCE, students can design and undertake an independent and unique short program of learning that is separate from any established school, training or other educational program.
• Learning projects allow learners to develop employability or lifelong learning skills in one of three contexts: workplace, community or self-directed.
Quality-assurance process for Learning projects
• Completed learning project documentation (planning log and the evidence of learning) is submitted to QSA.
• Documentation reviewed by the QA Unit.• Students are notified of outcome.• If successful, the achievement is banked into the
student’s learning account.
Student Education Profile
• Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE)• Queensland Certificate of Individual
Achievement (QCIA)• Senior Statement• Statement of Results• Tertiary Entrance Statements
QSA website links
Additional information for teachers
Scroll down for sample work programs and assessment instruments
Quality Assurance Unit 3864 0375
Certification Unit 3864 0433
QCIA 3864 0407
QSA District Offices <www.qsa.qld.edu.au> Contact us > District offices
Contacts