As surely as winter turns to spring, senior high school students across Queensland will face Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE) exams. For learners who've been out of school for a while, their Senior External Examinations await. Likewise, students seeking to boost their Australian Tertiary Assessment Rating (ATAR) are queueing up for exams. The key to getting the best results in any subject is to revise and prepare.
Today, Superprof delivers QCE revision help; a list of best practices targeted at QCE mathematics courses and exams. As you likely know, The QCE Maths subjects offer four different streams. You'll not find much difference between them so no matter which stream you choose, past papers and other revision resources will serve you well.
But pointing you to QCE resources doesn't answer all of the QCE questions. So, along the way, we'll answer some of students' most frequently asked QCE questions. If it so happens that we missed yours, you're welcome to ask us directly in the comments section.
Choosing QCE Resources
Every student is different. What works well for one pupil mightn't be right for their mate. For instance, you might be happy revising on your own; you may have the discipline to set up a study schedule and stick to it.
Others might not have that level of organisation or dedication to their studies. These general tips will help you choose your QCE resources for your important maths assessments according to your preferences.
The Different QCE Maths Streams
Don't forget that QCE Maths is more than just one subject; there are actually four different streams available to you. You must revise with QCE resources for the stream that you're studying. You'll likely be reminded of this fact at every turn. That's good, though. This is the one fact you need to remember when you're looking for exam papers and resources.
Your options are Essential Mathematics, General Mathematics, Mathematical Methods, and Specialist Mathematics. The Specialist stream builds on information in the Mathematical Methods papers. If you're studying the latter, you must also study Maths Methods because you can't study Specialist Maths on its own.
The Cost
You have lots of QCE resources to choose from. Some are free and others cost a bit. Hard-copy books and study guides fall in the not-free category. You may even run across QCE revision websites that tuck the most vital information behind a paywall.
Paying for resources doesn't make it better or more useful. If you've ever bought study guides in the past and hardly used them, it's probably not worth buying more of them. Think carefully about how you spend your money on resources.
Productivity Tools
Queensland students have a lot of subjects to revise for; keeping track of their progress and what they've yet to cover is challenging. Bookmarks, highlighters and sticky notes help. But today's students have so many more resources they can turn to to streamline their QCE revision.
Mind maps are a favourite among savvy students. These allow you to make visible connections between related topics. For instance, if you're revising information from the Specialist stream, you can incorporate knowledge from the Maths Method stream into your map. This will help you find points of contact between the two streams.
You may draw mind maps by hand, adding new knowledge as you revise, or go digital. You can access basic mind-mapping platforms online; they're free but for a sign-up. If you plan to study at university, you may find a paid subscription to a mind-mapping platform would serve you better.
What if you have trouble staying on task? If you're easily distracted or have trouble finding any enthusiasm for hours-long study sessions, you might try the Pomodoro system. It's as simple as setting a timer and revising until it chimes. Then, it's break time - time to grab a snack, check your phone, walk around...
Here, too, you may choose between manual and digital. If you have a kitchen timer, set it for 45 or 50 minutes; giving yourself a 10-15 minute break between study sessions. If you prefer going digital, you can download and configure an app to your preferences.
QCE Revision Help from a Tutor
It's no problem if you can't adapt to productivity tools right away. There is a learning curve to picking up good habits and sometimes, you need someone to guide you to finding your best study methods. Working with a tutor or academic coach for a month or two should put you on the right path.
We'll talk more about math tutoring toward the end of this article. But a tutor specialising in test preparation is one of the best resources you could call on to help shape and guide your revision. Thus, we include a brief word on private tutors in this resources section.
Use What Works
The best resources are the ones that work for you. Try a resource for a few days and then, test how well it worked. Try doing without for a day or two to measure how much it boosted your learning.
When it comes to academic resources like revision guides and workbooks, you might quiz yourself once a week or so. Answer some exam questions on that topic or do a past or sample paper. If you're not getting the expected results from a resource, consider using a different resource or changing your approach.
How you use each resource can make a huge difference. So make sure you're using the best resources for your needs. And be sure to use them as effectively as possible.
QCE Questions: Maths Exams and Resources
The first place to start your search is online. After all, you're already there if you're reading this. The internet is an invaluable resource for information. It's no different when it comes to QCE Maths exams and resources.
Like searching for anything on the internet, finding what you need is about asking the right question. You should have an idea of which resources you want to use and whether or not you're willing to pay for them. Fortunately, you have a good mix of free and premium sites and resources to choose from. Both will help you prepare and revise for your QCE Maths exams.
QCAA
Going straight to the source is the best way to find exam revision resources. In this case, you'll want the Queensland Curriculum & Assessment Authority (QCAA). On the QCAA website General Mathematics page, you can find resources for both General Mathematics and Mathematical Methods.
There, you'll find five years' worth of sample examination papers. You'll also have access to the question and response book for when you want to try out the exams yourself. The same is true if you look at the Mathematical Methods section.
Generally, it's a good idea to do past papers and sample papers in exam conditions. But remember that the QCE maths syllabus can change and certain topics or questions mightn't be on the exam you do. Fortunately, you can also check the syllabus on the QCAA website. If a tutor is guiding your revision, they might mark your exams for you, but you could always use the marking guide to go through any papers you do.
ATAR Notes
ATAR Notes is an online student community for students in Australia. It has plenty of study resources organised by state and by content. You need to create an account to start using the site. Once you do, you'll discover free notes, discussions, articles, lecture recordings, and videos.
ATAR Notes also has study guides, topic tests, and course notes you can buy directly from the site. These Notes packages cover General Maths, Maths Methods, and Specialist Maths; you'll also find a couple of practice exams.
Studyclix
Studyclix is a teaching website for both QCE and VCE exams. They've organised exam questions by topic and the year that each question appeared on the exams. You can find full past papers on the site, too, as well as quizzes, videos, and notes.
Even better: a feature called the Exam Builder. You can use it to create exams from certain topics. This is always useful if you've already run through all the available past papers - which could happen. The current exam format has only been around for a few years.
One major downside to this site is that the free version gives you limited access; you won't be able to do much with it. To upgrade, it costs either $59 or $89 a year for the Plus or Premium plans. You may try the free version; if you get some use out of it, then it might be worthwhile upgrading.
QCE Resources: Math Books
If you prefer the printed word, you can use non-digital resources for your QCE Maths exam preparation. That said, even modern books tend to come in both print and digital versions so you can choose whichever you prefer.
Cambridge Checkpoints QCE
Teachers, examination review panel members, and curriculum developers collaborate to publish revision resources. Their efforts yield the Cambridge Checkpoints series for QCE exams. These study guides are a useful resource for students preparing for their summative external assessment.
The series includes books for Units 1-4 on General Mathematics, Mathematical Methods, and Specialist Mathematics. They are available in print and digital versions. You may also find digital-only versions.
Oxford Study Buddy
Much like the Cambridge Checkpoint series has a rival. The Oxford Study Buddy Revision and Exam Guides, another collaboration between teachers and examiners, helps students' preparation for their exams.
Note that this series is for the external exams. They only cover Units 3-4 for General Maths, Maths Methods, and Specialist Maths. However, they come highly recommended; they won the best secondary reference resource at the Educational Publishing Australia Awards.
Get Help with Your QCE Maths from Other People
Other people are sometimes the best resource for getting help with your QCE Maths. If you're struggling or just looking to do better, there are quite a few people you can reach out to. Conversely, if you excel at maths, you may form a study group to help your peers.
QCE Revision Help From Your Teacher
Whenever you need help with QCE Maths, it's a good idea to ask your teacher. Your teacher can give you advice and point you in the right direction for resources that you may find useful. Of course, outside of school, your teacher won't always be available so make sure you make the most of contact hours and your time in class to study and ask pertinent questions.
You might ask your teacher if they offer private tutoring sessions outside of school hours; many schoolteachers supplement their income this way. Your teacher would know about the maths skills you possess. They may recommend weekly online maths tutoring sessions or in-person instruction, depending on your classroom performance.
Peers and Classmates as QCE Resources
Your classmates are invaluable resources. It's always a good idea to form a study group and hold each other accountable for sticking to your revision schedules while also helping each other by sharing resources.
You can also plan to do past papers under exam conditions together, marking them together, and working out what each of you needs to work on.
Tutors for QCE Revision Help
Arguably, the quickest and easiest way to succeed in your QCE Maths exams is with the help of a specialist. When it comes to learning, a private tutor for QCE maths is probably the best way to go.
There are plenty of reasons why students might need or want help with their exams. There's no shame in getting help from a tutor. If anything, it's a smart way to ensure you get the best results.
Tutors help any student wanting to improve their marks, not just those who are struggling. So whether you want to get every question on the exam right or just pass the exam, you should consider QCE revision help from a private maths tutor Perth.
Learn to Study Effectively with a Private Maths Tutor
Tutors of any speciality aren't just founts of knowledge in their specific field. They also excel in revision and test-taking strategies and academic coaching. Revising with a tutor will make you a better student overall, not merely one who excels in maths.
You'll learn a lot for your QCE Maths exams with a private tutor; that's for sure. But you'll also learn study skills, exam techniques, and other transferable skills that are much harder to learn from a book or a website.
Armed with these skills, you can get to work studying even when your tutor isn't there. You can organise effective QCE revision sessions using some of the other resources we've listed here and the resources recommended by your teacher and tutor.
Find amazing maths tutoring classes on Superprof!
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