St Teresa’s
College
QCS Preparation Session
Today’s Session: Blocks 1-2
Reintroduction
of QCS
Common Curriculum Elements (CCE’s)
SIBs Booklets
Quiz – What do we already know
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Who sits the test?
Why sit the QCS test?
When is the QCS test?
What makes up the QCS test?
What grades are awarded for the QCS
test?
The QCS Test
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When
: T3 Wk8 Tues & Wed
How Long
: 4 papers (2 per day)
Who sits it?
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All (Queensland) Yr 12 eligible for an OP
Any other Yr 12 students who wish to complete it
Purpose of the QCS Test
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To ensure comparability of senior subjects
both within and between schools
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Making sure student of similar skill and
achievement receive a similar OP
regardless of the school they attend
Special Provisions
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Equitable for all
Very strict guidelines and range of
provisions
See Mr Anderson for application paper
work
DEADLINE TO APPLY : 18th May 2012
What makes up the test
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4 papers
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Writing Task
(29%)
2 x Multiple Choice Tests (43%)
Short Response Task
(28%)
Writing Task
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1st paper
600 word response to stimulus
Marked on:
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Responsiveness to stimulus material
Clarity / development of ideas
Organisation of ideas
Grammar, vocab, punctuation, spelling
Correct length
Short Response Item
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3rd paper – Wednesday Morning
A booklet of questions the require a variety
of different types of short responses
Types of responses include:
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Working through Maths problems
Drawing diagrams
Interpreting / completing patterns
Explaining a concept or your reasoning
Multiple Choice
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2nd and 4th papers (Tues & Wed afternoon)
Select a response A – D for each question
Arguably the hardest
Questions may be:
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Reading a diagram
Comprehension of data, literature
Interpreting graphs, info tables, maps
QCS Marking
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MC – scanned and computer marked
WT & SR
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Marked to specific criteria
Marked in the Sept. School holidays
Scripts may have up to 3 independent markings
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All marking is according to a specific marking scheme
No writing is allowed on the student scripts
Equipment Required :
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Very specific list
Slightly different for each
paper
Carried and stored in a
transparent container
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Pens (black ink Optional
only)
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Correction tape /
2B pencils
fluid
Pencil sharpener  Fluorescent
markers
Eraser
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Set square
Ruler
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Template
Approved
calculator
Protractor
Drawing
compass
Colouring pencils
The Mud Army
Why we need to do our best
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Each student scores A - E
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Subject grades + Subject QCS results 
OP
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B, B, B, C, C is better than A, C, D, D, D
(everyone needs to do best)
FROM GRADES TO OP’s
Scaled SAIs
Raw SAIS
223
A
VHA
B
HA
C
SA
400
200
D
LA
E
VLA
The raw SAIs
of groups of
students are
scaled in
relation to
other groups of
students by the
performance of
each group of
students on
QCS
140
Distribution of OP’s throughout Queensland
Aims of Practice Sessions
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Familiarise papers.
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Strategies and techniques
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Confidence.
What does the QCS test assess?
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CCE’s – common curriculum elements
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49 CCE’s
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CCEs are skills.
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Should have been developed throughout
schooling.
CCE Activity
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Groups of 3. You will be given:
a set of CCE cards.
a poster
blu-tac
Step 1
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Look at your CCE cards and fill in the
blanks
What does that word or phase mean?
Give a specific example (subject and
situation) when you would use that CCE
Step 2
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Attach your CCE cards to your poster.
Explain on your poster - what all your
CCE’s have in common (what is the
general theme?)
Presenting Baskets of CCE’s
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Group feedback to the cohort.
Orange
Blue
Yellow
Summary of Baskets
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Alpha - Comprehending and Collecting (green)
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Beta - Structuring and Sequencing
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Pi
- Creating and Presenting
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Phi
- Applying Techniques and Procedures (pink)
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Theta - Analysing, Assessing and Concluding (red)
(blue)
(grey)
Mapping CCE’s and your subjects
SUBJECTS
CCE’
s
QCS Practice Outline: Term 2
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Double blocks during classtimes
House rotation through:
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Writing Task
Short Resp – Literacy
Multiple Choice – Numeracy
Visual Literacy
Full practice Test
All practice sessions this
term are compulsory!
The whole cohort’s performance
affects your OP. To do well, we must
all do our best
SIBS Booklet
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QSA resource – Statewide
Basis QCS info and practice
Activity Now –
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Handout  answer