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Queensland Core Skills (QCS) Test WHAT IS THE QCS TEST ? The QCS test is : - a common state-wide test for Queensland Year 12 students - an achievement test, not an intelligence test, not an aptitude test - grounded in the Queensland senior curriculum - accessible to all Year 12 students regardless of individual differences in subject patterns WHAT DOES IT TEST ? It tests the 49 common elements that are the threads of the Queensland senior curriculum called Common Curriculum Elements. While the level of sophistication demanded by the test is appropriate to year 12 students, particular knowledge of specific Year 12 subjects is not tested. However, the test assumes basic levels of general knowledge and vocabulary and a Year 10 knowledge of mathematical operations. HOW ARE THE ELEMENTS ASSESSED ? The QCS Test consists of four papers. There are three modes of assessment – extended writing, multiple-choice questions and short response items. The SRI paper requires students to respond to a command or to answer a question by writing a sentence or paragraph, drawing a diagram, performing a calculation etc. The WT tests students’ command of the written English language. It tests expressive and productive skills, requiring the composition of an extended piece (about 600 words) of continuous prose. In the multiple-choice papers, students are expected to respond to a variety of stimulus material, such as prose passages, poetry, graphs, table, maps, mathematical and scientific data, cartoons, reproductions of works of art. For each question on the MCQ papers there are four alternative answers (options). Students are asked to select the best answer. COMMON CURRICULUM ELEMENTS Recognising letters, words and other symbols Finding material in an indexed collection Recalling / remembering Interpreting the meaning of words or other symbols Interpreting the meaning of pictures / illustrations Interpreting the meaning of tables or diagrams maps or graphs Translating from one form to another Using correct spelling, punctuation, grammar Using vocabulary appropriate to a context Summarising/ condensing written test Compiling lists/ statistics Recording/ noting data Compiling results in a tabular form Graphing Calculating with or without calculator Estimating numerical magnitude | Approximating a numerical value Substituting in formulae Setting out/presenting/arranging/ displaying Structuring/ organising extended written text Structuring/ organising a mathematical argument Explaining to others Expounding a view-point Empathising Comparing, contrasting Classifying Interrelating ideas/ themes/ issues Reaching a conclusion which is necessarily true provided a given set of assumptions is true Reaching a conclusion which is consistent with a given set of assumptions Inserting an intermediate between members of a series Extrapolating | Applying strategies to trial and test ideas and procedures Applying a progression of steps to achieve the required answer Generalising from information Hypothesising Criticising Analysing Synthesising Judging/ Evaluating Creating/ Composing/ devising Justifying Perceiving patterns Visualising Identifying shapes in two and three dimensions Searching and locating items/ information Observing systematically Gesturing Manipulating/ operating/using/ equipment Sketching/ drawing |
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE TEST ? The QCS test provides - individual results reported on a five-point scale - group results for calculating Overall Positions (OP’s) which are independent of subjects studied or school attended - group results for calculating Field Positions (FP’s), up to five per student, depending on subject choice.
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