The following table outlines an overall timeline for the QCIA process. Specific dates for QCIA procedures are published in the Senior Education Profile (SEP) calendar.
| Time | Steps of the QCIA process |
|---|---|
Before starting senior schooling | Pathway planning |
Students, parents/carers and schools:
| |
Term 1 in the first year of senior schooling | Curriculum planning |
In consultation with students and parents/carers, schools:
| |
Senior schooling | Teaching, learning and assessment |
Schools:
| |
Term 3 in the final year of senior schooling | Drafting QCIAs |
Schools:
| |
QCIA verification meeting | |
| |
Term 4 in the final year of senior schooling | QCIA state review meeting |
| |
Pre-production checks of the QCIA | |
| |
Certification | |
|
3.2.1 Registering students for a QCIA
Schools register eligible students in the Student Management app at the start of senior secondary schooling. Schools must also identify students working towards a QCIA by selecting the intended learning outcome (ILO) as ‘QCIA’.
Starting a QCIA in Year 12
In exceptional circumstances, a student’s situation may change during their senior schooling and they may become eligible for a QCIA (see Section 3.1: Eligibility for a QCIA). As the QCIA is an ILO chosen at the start of senior secondary schooling, any student whose ILO is changed to QCIA while in Year 12 must have their eligibility approved by the QCAA’s Manager, QCE and QCIA Unit, by the date published in the SEP calendar . To apply for approval, the principal emails an explanation for the change in eligibility to qcia@qcaa.qld.edu.au.
3.2.2 Curriculum plans
The purpose of a curriculum plan is to identify 20–30 intended learning goals a student may achieve towards the end of senior schooling. Learning goals identify the highest level of knowledge or skill for each student. Schools do not choose every learning goal a student may achieve during senior schooling.
Schools develop a curriculum plan based on information from the GIL for each eligible student.
The GIL consists of curriculum organisers, learning focuses and learning goals for developing QCIA curriculum plans for students.
Curriculum organisers | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Communication and technologies | Community, citizenship and the environment | Leisure and recreation | Personal and living dimensions | Vocational and transition activities |
CT | CCE | LR | PLD | VTA |
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Learning for each of the five QCIA curriculum organisers is defined in the curriculum organiser descriptions. | ||||
Learning focuses | ||||
The learning focuses are identified and developed from the curriculum organisers and reflect the significant components of each curriculum organiser. | ||||
Learning goals | ||||
Learning goals are organised to reflect a range of learning, but the goals in a student’s curriculum plan need not cover all five curriculum organisers. Learning goals are designed to build from awareness or recognition through to use and application of knowledge, understanding and skills. | ||||
Recording curriculum plans
Schools record each student’s individual curriculum plan at the start of their senior secondary schooling.
Each student’s QCIA curriculum plan is recorded and managed via the Student Management app. It incorporates:
- eligibility criteria for the QCIA
- identification of the number of QCE-contributing studies likely to be completed by the student
- learning goals selected from the GIL
- approval of the curriculum plan by the school’s QCIA leader.
User roles to record QCIA data are outlined in QCIA data in the Student Management app: A guide for schools. (PDF, 1.8 MB).
Amending an approved curriculum plan
During senior schooling, a student’s enrolment may change. Schools must update any changes to learning or studies contributing to a QCE in the Student Management app.
Extending a year
A student may want to extend their senior secondary schooling beyond the regular pattern of two years, to a third year of senior schooling.
A QCIA is only issued at the completion of the academic year in which the quality assurance processes have been completed (evidence must be presented at all of the quality assurance processes in the year of the certificate issue). A student must remain enrolled at the school until the certificates are issued. A QCIA is not issued if a student withdraws or ceases enrolment within the third or extension year.
Schools are responsible for ensuring students and their parents/carers are aware of this before developing a curriculum plan that involves extending to a third year. Students who have already been issued with a QCIA, and who are completing an extended year, may work towards a QCE.
Ceasing or transferring enrolment with a school
If a student ceases enrolment at a school or is no longer eligible to receive a QCIA, schools must update the Student Management app as soon as possible.
Transfer students and curriculum plans
The new school must review, edit and approve the student’s previous curriculum plan in the Student Management app , ensuring that the appropriate learning experiences can be offered for the student at the new school.
For more information, contact the QCE and QCIA unit at qcia@qcaa.qld.edu.au.
3.2.3 Gathering evidence of learning
Schools collect evidence of students’ learning throughout senior schooling. This evidence is used to report achievement and participation to students and parents/carers and to substantiate QCIA Statements of Achievement and Statements of Participation. Schools decide how evidence of students’ learning is collected and stored.
In the student’s exit year, the school generates draft QCIA information based on demonstrated learning and evidence of achievement and participation. This information should be discussed with students and parents/carers before the final submission of school data to the QCAA. See the GIL for suggestions about collecting different types of evidence.
