1 - Introduction ~5 mins
Warm-up
Think about the last piece you made for format 1. If you had to hand that same message to a busy work-experience supervisor who only has two minutes on a phone, would you keep the same format? Why or why not?
Welcome
Format 1 = the digital piece you already finished for your Something Real project (saved as a final copy ready to share). Today you only judge formats and save one comparison page ({{code:sm2_format_comparison}}) — no editing format 1.
You already did the hard making work. Today is about standing back and deciding what that work is good for, and where another format would serve better.
We judge which formats work for which audience (VET interviewer, supervisor, coach) and write a short comparison page for your portfolio. That judgement helps you defend format 1 in the VET interview and choose your second format for Specialism Module 2 Key Assignment 1 (SM2 KA1).
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
- Compare benefits and challenges of slides, infographics, podcasts, and video
- Contribute practical experience from building format 1
- Document when to use at least three formats
2 - Key Concepts ~6 mins
Use the Format fit diagram as a quick map: each format only earns its place if it serves a real audience.
Every digital format solves a different problem. Match the format to purpose, audience, and the time you can honestly spend.
Four formats in plain words
- Slide deck — a sequence of screens for a talk you give live, or talk through on a call, with one main idea per slide
- Infographic — one visual page: headline, a few numbers, and a clear takeaway
- Podcast or audio — spoken explanation the listener can follow without watching a screen
- Short video — motion plus sound (often vertical on a phone), strong when the hook and captions are clear
Three things to remember
- Match the format to the audience, not to the trend
- Production time is a cost, not proof of quality
- The VET needs a format adults can follow and verify in a short interview
Sample Format Comparison rows
Your portfolio page should look like this for each format you document. Pick any three of these four formats (or include your own format 1 if it is one of them). Keep this table on screen while you write.
| Format | Benefits | Challenges | Use when… |
|---|---|---|---|
| Slide deck | Clear structure; easy to rehearse; examiner can follow section by section | Easy to overload with bullets; weak without a speaker | You need a live VET pitch that proves you can explain your Something Real project |
| Infographic | Numbers land fast; works as a leave-behind | Hard to update; little room for nuance | A supervisor or club coach needs costs or stats on one page |
| Podcast / audio | Personal tone; hands-free; good for story | Hard to skim exact figures; awkward if the listener needs numbers | A coach or community group wants a story-led update they can listen to on a phone |
| Short video | Strong hook; shows a process in motion | Takes longer to film and caption; needs a quiet space | You are demonstrating a skill or walkthrough for peers or a social audience |
3 - Format Judgements: Opinion Line ~15 mins
Place your marker for each statement. There is no single correct spot. Be ready to justify your position using what you learned while building format 1.
Your teacher will read each claim aloud and take a few voices from different places on the line before anyone moves again.
Standing in the middle is fine — say what would move you left or right. Use a real moment from building format 1, not a guess about what sounds right.
The three claims
- A slide deck is always the safest format for a VET interview.
Think about: What does the examiner actually need to verify in a short interview? When might a short video or a printed infographic support the talk better than more slides? - If the message is mostly numbers, an infographic beats a podcast.
Think about: What can a listener remember from audio without pausing? When would spoken story still beat a dense visual page? - The format that took you longest to make is usually the strongest choice.
Think about: Name a time production effort did not match audience need. How should time cost sit beside purpose and audience when you pick format 2?
Interactive activity
4 - Common Issues ~4 mins
Common Issues
| Issue | Solution |
|---|---|
| I only know benefits for the format I already built | Name one challenge for your own format first, then borrow one honest benefit and one challenge from a classmate who built something different (write their first name in brackets). Example borrowed cell: Fast numbers leave-behind (Aoife) |
| My comparison rows all say “looks nice” or “is boring” | Rewrite each cell as a use case: who is reading or watching, what they need to do next, and what breaks if the format is wrong |
| I cannot decide what “use when…” means | Finish the sentence with a real audience from your Something Real project or the VET interview (examiner, supervisor, club coach, sponsor, community group) |
Next: Watch your teacher build one full table row on screen (including one borrowed cell with a first name in brackets), then you will make the same 4-column table in your own file.
5 - Portfolio Build: Format Comparison ~20 mins
Portfolio build
- Open {{code:Project_Portfolio}} → {{code:09_specialism/sm2/}} and create a new Word Online or Google Docs file named {{code:sm2_format_comparison}} (exact name, no extension).
- Insert a table with 4 columns and at least 4 rows. Headings: Format | Benefits | Challenges | Use when…
- Row 1 = your format 1, written from your own experience.
- Rows 2–3 = one benefit and one challenge borrowed from a classmate who built a different format (first name in brackets). Example: Fast numbers leave-behind (Aoife). Your teacher will pair you with someone who built a different format.
- Every row needs benefits, challenges, and a “use when…” line tied to a real audience for your Something Real project or the VET interview (examiner, supervisor, coach, sponsor, or community group). Aim for three formats in total (for example slide deck, infographic, podcast or audio, short video).
- Under the table, add one short note on what building format 1 taught you about that choice.
Don’t polish forever — three honest rows beat one perfect row. If a row feels vague, ask your teacher while they circulate.
- {{code:sm2_format_comparison}} is saved inside {{code:09_specialism/sm2/}} in your {{code:Project_Portfolio}}
- At least three formats each have benefits, challenges, and a clear “use when…” line (support: two full rows first, then add the third)
- At least one “use when…” line names a real audience (examiner, supervisor, coach, sponsor, or community group)
- A short note explains what building format 1 changed or confirmed about your format choice
- This file is portfolio evidence for Specialism Module 2 (format choice / KA support). Keep the exact filename.
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