aer_blog: ICAS ( International Competitions and Assessments for Schools

ICAS

What is ICAS?

International Competitions and Assessments for Schools is conducted by Educational Assessment Australia, UNSW.

Ten countries now participate in ICAS. In Australia and New Zealand there are over 1.7 million entries in the subject areas of:

ICAS papers assess the skills students require to address the curriculum of each of the subject areas. ICAS test items are mapped to the curriculum of every Australian state and territory ensuring the relevance of ICAS test content. The Assessment Framework for each subject shows what is tested at each level, in easy-to-read tables.

Every student receives detailed diagnostic paper and online reports (myICAS) measuring their progress from previous years and a UNSW certificate acknowledging their level of achievement.

Every school receives comprehensive paper and online reports (ICAS Online) designed to enhance and validate other school-based assessments.

Schools wishing to enter whole cohorts of students in ICAS should contact EAA to make use of value-added assessment and professional development services provided through the Total Assessment Partnership (TAP).

What subjects and skills are being assessed?

English

Reading and language skills in a range of texts. Students are required to locate, identify, interpret, infer and synthesise information in and about texts, focusing on the aspects of:

reading for meaning in literary texts
reading for meaning in factual texts
textual devices
syntax
vocabulary

Mathematics

Mathematical skills in a range of contexts from the following areas:

Number and Arithmetic
Algebra and Patterns
Measures and Units
Space and Geometry
Chance and Data

Science

Scientific skills in the subject contexts of Earth and Beyond, Natural and Processed Materials, Life and Living, and Energy and Change, including:

Knowledge
Measuring and Observing
Interpreting Data
Predicting/Concluding from Data
Investigating
Reasoning/Problem Solving

Computer Skills

General computer skills using familiar contexts, including:

Common operating systems and hardware
Word processing
Graphics and multimedia
Spreadsheets and databases
Internet and email
Programming and scripting*

Writing

Writing a narrative or an argument text, demonstrating:

Text purpose and structure
Language choices that enhance the writing
Syntax and grammar
Punctuation
Spelling

Spelling

Spelling of words that range from words with simple spelling patterns to words with difficult or unusual spelling patterns, in four different contexts: