The Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority offers formal workshops and other products and resources that can contribute to the continuing professional development (CPD) requirements for Queensland teachers.
To maintain their registration, all Queensland teachers are required to complete 20 hours of CPD each year.
The QCAA provides high-quality professional development activities for teachers from Kindergarten to Year 12. This includes workshops, conference and forums as well as a range of products and resources covering everything from the Queensland Kindergarten Learning Guideline and the new P–10 Australian Curriculum to senior moderation and verification, panel training for QCS and NAPLAN test marking and competency-based assessment techniques in VET.
The table below provides a list of the activities the QCAA delivers that teachers can consider for their CPD.
Certificates awarded by the QCAA for completing workshops identify the applicable Australian Professional Standards to which they relate.
However, when considering an activity, teachers need to consider if it represents genuine new learning rather than a routine activity – such as undertaking the same monitoring, verification, marking or training activities over a number of years.
The responsibility ultimately rests with individual teachers to assess the contribution that an activity makes towards their development and professional growth.
If audited by the Queensland College of Teachers, individuals will need to justify the activities that have been counted towards their CPD.
Find out more about the workshops, conferences and forums hosted by the QCAA.
Professional development opportunities
Kindergarten
Actively contribute to systemic education initiatives and projects by getting involved in:
- Queensland Kindergarten Learning Guideline (QKLG) workshops and forums
- the Queensland Kindergarten Learning Guideline (QKLG) Reference Group
- Learning Area Reference Committees and QCAA Authority Committees.
Access online resources
These QKLG resources cover the following professional topics:
- inclusion and diversity
- literacy and numeracy
- promoting continuity and transitions
- intentional teaching
- inclusive learning environments
- leadership and partnerships
- templates and completed samples for planning, observation and transition statements.
You can find video examples of good practice in kindergarten including:
- intentional teaching
- transition statements
- categories of inclusion:
- children at risk
- children with disability
- cultural and linguistic diversity
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children
These video resources include reflection questions, planning activities and discussion starters to extend teachers’ learning.
These QKLG modules cover the following professional topics:
- Module 1: Getting started
- Module 2: Knowing children, families and communities
- Module 3: Planning for Learning and Development
- Module 4: Observations to guide decision making
- Module 5: Continuity and reflective practice
The QKLG section provides a professional learning log for teachers to document their ongoing professional learning. Each workshop, module, resource and video includes links to the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers to assist teachers in recording their ongoing professional learning.
Prep to Year 10
Actively contribute to systemic education initiatives and projects by getting involved in:
- the roll out of the new Australian Curriculum including taking part in:
- consultation on draft curriculum
- meetings to validate achievement standards
- focus groups to validate standards elaborations
- quality assurance and co-development activities related to QCAA advice, guidelines and resources
- Learning Area Reference Committees and QCAA Authority Committees.
Access online resources
Resources covering P–10 Curriculum and Assessment for the Australian and Queensland curriculum, including Australian Curriculum video resources:
- Exploring the learning areas: English
- Exploring the learning areas: Mathematics
- Exploring the learning areas: Science
- Exploring the learning areas: History
- Australian Curriculum — implementation
- Australian Curriculum — resources
- Planning for multiple years
- Developing an assessment program
- Developing task specific standards
Materials to support the embedding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Perspectives
SunLANDA data analysis tool, provided free of charge to schools, which can be used to interrogate NAPLAN data.
Get involved
Participate in:
- workshops to support the introduction of the new Australian Curriculum P–10
- training for NAPLAN marking.
Years 11–12
Actively contribute to systemic education initiatives and projects by getting involved in:
- syllabus development or revision writing teams
- syllabus trials
- developing online assessment resources for the senior phase
- attending senior secondary workshops covering topics such as:
- syllabus introduction workshops (Authority or SAS)
- senior assessment
- certification (QCIA, QCE)
- the Australasian Curriculum, Assessment Certification Authorities (ACACA) comparability project
- Learning Area Reference Committees and QCAA Authority Committees.
Access online resources
Teaching and learning syllabus resources including:
- developing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives
- managing students’ draft responses to assessment
- language education
- mathematical concepts
- embedding educational equity
- reference materials including developing teaching, learning and assessment programs for composite classes; sample units of work
- subject-specific resources, e.g. inquiry-based learning, sample design problems and learning experiences
Video assessment resources for:
- school-based assessment and moderation in Years 11 and 12
- syllabus to the classroom
- quality assuring school-based assessments in Years 11 and 12
- extended experimental investigations (EEIs) including:
- how to develop and manage appropriate EEIs
- authenticating student authorship of EEIs
- student achievement indicators (SAIs) and using BonSAI to assign and check SAIs
Professional reading materials including:
- Annual Random Sampling Report
- Annual State Review Panel Report
- information about the design principles for Queensland senior syllabuses (the underpinning research, guidelines used by syllabus writing teams and the process for syllabus revision and development)
- OPs and FPs.
Get involved
Participate in QCAA training for:
- panellists — moderation processes (monitoring and verification) for senior authority subjects
- District Review Panel Chairs and State Review Panel Chair
- state panel comparability processes
- moderation meetings for senior authority registered subjects
- annual random sampling
- confirmation processes
- the QCS Test Marking operation as a marker or immerser for Short Response, or as a marker, marking supervisor or senior marking supervisor for Writing Task
- understanding OP calculations.
Vocational Education and Training (VET)
Actively contribute to systemic education initiatives and projects by participating on the QCAA VET Committee.
Access online resources
Access VET resources including materials to support compliance with the VET Quality Framework.
Get involved
Participate in QCAA workshops covering:
- RTO responsibilities
- individual training package implementation
- competency-based assessment.
