The QCAA employs and trains practising Queensland teachers (PQTs) and other eligible applicants (OEAs) (e.g. retired teachers, academics, teachers from other jurisdictions) to mark external assessment for General, General (Extension) and General (SEE) syllabuses, using an online marking platform (OLMP).
The marking period will run from late October to the end of November 2024.
There are three QCAA assessor (external assessment marking) roles:
- marker
- lead marker
- chief marker.
Benefits of being an external assessment marker
External assessment markers:
- contribute to the success of Queensland’s new assessment system
- get practical insight into senior external assessment marking processes
- gain CPD points for QCT registration renewal
- network with like-minded professionals
- earn extra income for training and marking that occurs outside their normal school hours.
This video explains the benefits of being an external assessment marker.
Video transcript
Nick Brooking — Chief marker, Mathematical Methods (2023)
The best part of being an EA chief is the opportunity to work with a range of excellent teachers, excellent people behind the scenes at QCAA.
Being involved with marking has really helped at my school, in terms of being able to support students in achieving the best they can because you’ve got such a deeper insight into how the marking process takes place.
Kathleen Hannant — Chief marker, Literature (2023)
The best part about being an EA chief is that you’re part of a community of practice. You get to learn from other people who are just like you, they’re teaching students across Queensland and particularly if you’re in a location that might be more remote, don’t think that this precludes you. It is extremely invaluable in terms of not only your individual professional development, but the learning you can bring back to staff and students.
Tynan Krosby — Chief marker, Modern History (2023)
Being involved in the external assessment marking process has helped me as a classroom teacher because it has supported me to understand how students respond to external assessment questions in exams and supports me to support my students as they prepare for their exams and give them strategies to approach questions in different ways.
As a head of department, it supports me to support my staff to develop an understanding and apply the principles that we use in the external assessment space.
The QCAA provides a whole range of support for staff and the collaborative environment really supports all staff to be successful and feel confident in their application of external assessment marking guides.
Janelle O’Neill — Chief marker, Mathematical Methods (2023)
The marking operation for the external assessment really caters to all career stages. It invites the graduate teacher, the proficient teacher, the experienced teacher, those who are certified, highly accomplished lead teachers, as well as semi-retired and retired teachers.
The best part about being involved in the marking operation is really feeling valued by QCAA. Feeling like you’re a valued member, a valued contributor, that your subject expertise as a teacher in Queensland actually makes a difference.
So it’s really highlighting our professional judgements and our professional being and just our professional overall.
Brenton Campbell — Chief marker, Literature (2023)
Being a part of this experience has helped me in my classroom, in my teaching, in my leadership and how I have developed in my career in education.
If you’re sitting out there and you are a qualified teacher in Queensland and you’re thinking whether you should become a marker or not, you should become a marker.
It’s a great experience.
Application process
The following pages provide information about the application process for:
- Last updated:
- 10 May 2024
