As part of the Senior secondary certification agreement, schools encourage suitably skilled staff to apply for QCAA assessor roles as endorsers, confirmers, subject matter experts and/or external assessment markers. QCAA assessors implement the relevant quality assurance processes for summative assessment.
The QCAA employs assessors for:
- endorsement
- confirmation
- external assessment writing and scrutiny
- external assessment marking.
QCAA assessors are responsible for ensuring that summative assessment processes align with the attributes of quality assessment by maintaining deep knowledge and understanding of:
- the syllabus
- subject knowledge and pedagogy
- assessment item construction and assessment instrument development practices
- assessment instrument evaluative process and procedures
- how to apply marking guides or standards to student responses
- how to communicate about assessment.
For more information about the attributes of quality assessment, see Section 7: The assessment system. For more information about roles and responsibilities of assessors, see Section 9: Internal assessment — Quality assurance (regarding confirmation and endorsement) and Section 10: External assessment.
Detailed description of diagram
12.5.1 Assessment literacy in the QCE system
Assessment literacy in the QCE system is a two-stage program of professional online learning for teachers and those who wish to undertake a quality assurance role with the QCAA.
QCAA assessors must complete professional learning relevant to the quality assurance role they wish to undertake: endorser, confirmer, external assessment writer and/or external assessment marker. The program supports the quality assurance processes for summative internal and external assessment in senior secondary schooling.
All teachers are encouraged to undertake the Stage 1 online modules available via the QCAA Portal. These include Module 1: Attributes of quality assessment, Module 2: Developing valid and accessible assessment and Module 3: Making reliable judgments.
Those who have successfully completed the relevant Stage 1 online modules and want to seek appointment to any of the QCAA assessor roles must complete the Stage 2 online modules for the specific role/s they are seeking. All teachers may access these modules to develop their understanding about the processes. Information about these modules is available on the QCAA website and in the QCAA Portal.
On successful completion of the appropriate Stage 2 online modules, eligible applicants may apply to the QCAA to become:
- an endorser, lead endorser or chief endorser
- a confirmer, lead confirmer or chief confirmer
- an external assessment writer, critical friend or scrutiny panel member
- a marker, lead marker or chief marker.
The following table summarises the modules that must be completed before applying for an assessor role.
| Endorsers | Confirmers | External assessment subject matter experts | External assessment markers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stage 1: Assessment literacy | ||||
Module 1: Attributes of quality assessment |  | | | |
Module 2: Developing valid and accessible assessment | | | ||
Module 3: Making reliable judgments | | | ||
Stage 2: Role-specific training | ||||
Module 4: Endorsement | | |||
Module 5: Confirmation | | |||
Module 6: External assessment writing | | |||
Module 7: External assessment marking |
| | ||
12.5.2 Eligibility and appointment
Once the relevant online modules have been completed, eligible applicants may apply for one or more assessor roles. If appointed, assessors are required to maintain eligibility and meet the QCAA requirements for continuing appointment. The Assessor Jobs application in the QCAA Portal allows school users to apply for current QCAA vacancies. The home page lists all available roles and their requirements along with any current vacancies.
Eligibility
To be eligible for appointment to a QCAA assessor role, applicants must:
- complete the relevant online modules, as listed in the table in Section 12.5.1: Assessment literacy in the QCE system
- have the relevant subject matter and assessment experience and meet the expertise requirements for the roles and responsibilities outlined in the position description
- have the principal’s support, as required
- commit to participation in events, as required.
Application and appointment
The application and appointment process for QCAA assessor roles involves the following processes.
Applicants:
- submit their applications via the Assessor Jobs application in the QCAA Portal to demonstrate eligibility
- complete training when required
- accept offers of appointment or notional appointment as appropriate.
Positions of additional responsibility, such as lead and chief assessors, require further role-specific training.
Chief assessors may be required to participate in an interview process.
The QCAA:
- short-lists applications based on requirements of the role
- seeks principal authorisation as required
- sends offers of appointment or notional appointment, as appropriate
- notifies applicants of the requirement to complete training
- formally appoint applicants who have accepted offers of appointment.
Maintaining appointment
To maintain continuing appointment, assessors must:
- be an active participant at the events, and other activities to support the workflow, as required
- engage in ongoing training as required
- maintain professional skills and standards
- maintain confidentiality
- ensure they are available for the tasks of the role
- continue to fulfil the eligibility requirements for the role, as outlined in the position description.
Assessors remain subject to review based on their continuing ability to demonstrate satisfactory capability and capacity to perform the tasks of the role. They are also subject to continuing principal approval, as required.
For more information, see QCAA assessors and view the position description via the Assessor Jobs application in the QCAA Portal.
