Advanced
60 mins
Teacher/Student led
+80 XP

KA1 Workshop: Coursework Document and Skills Explanation

In this lesson you complete a real LCA coursework document to professional standards using Module 1 features. You then write a skills explanation naming at least five features and their purposes. Both files form your KA1 evidence pack as editable documents plus finished PDFs.

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    1 - Introduction ~5 mins

    Welcome

    Illustration for IntroductionToday you bank KA1: one real coursework document and a short skills explanation. You save both as editable files plus PDFs in 04_evidence (print only if your teacher asks).

    KA1 pack: sm1_ka1_coursework_doc.docx and sm1_ka1_skills_explanation.docx — each editable + PDF — in Project_Portfolio/09_specialism/sm1/04_evidence/. Do not type file extensions yourself; Word Online and Google Docs manage those.

    Warm-up: which path are you on?

    • Path A — Have a real document already? Open it. You will rename it to sm1_ka1_coursework_doc.docx, keep it in 04_evidence, polish what still needs fixing, finish the skills explanation, and export both PDFs today if you can.
    • Path B — No finished document yet? Do not wait silently. With your teacher, either (1) finalise an existing Module 1 file that another LCA course will actually use, or (2) create a short outline in sm1_ka1_coursework_doc.docx from the shortlist. Path B goal today: usable draft + skills-explanation structure with at least three real feature rows you can point to. Full five-row pack and both PDFs can finish before next lesson if the draft is still thin. A brand-new empty outline cannot honestly justify five Module 1 features in one period.

    Shortlist (real recipient beyond this ICT class): Work Experience report, VPG CV or covering letter, Enterprise proposal, Practical Achievement log write-up, researched Social Education piece.

    Your teacher confirms your path before independent work.

    By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:

    • Identify a real LCA coursework document that needs production
    • Apply appropriate Module 1 features, proof, edit, and export a finished PDF of the document
    • Write a skills explanation naming at least five features and why each was used
    • Bank Specialism Module 1 Key Assignment 1 evidence

    2 - Key Concepts ~6 mins

    KA1 = coursework document + skills explanation. Filenames: sm1_ka1_coursework_doc.docx and sm1_ka1_skills_explanation.docx (editable + PDF each), saved in 04_evidence.

    ConceptWhy it mattersExample
    KA1 coursework document — a finished word-processed file needed for real LCA coursework, Work Experience, or a Student TaskSEC evidence must serve a genuine purpose, not a made-up ICT-only exerciseA Work Experience placement report for your VPG teacher, or an enterprise one-pager for a real local stall idea
    Skills explanation — a short second document listing at least five features and why each was chosenKA1 is incomplete without the "identify the skills and explain why" piece, even if the main document looks excellent"Heading 1 styles keep every section title consistent so a supervisor can scan the report in under a minute"
    Filenames and finished format — correct Specialism names; editable source plus PDF hand-inYour teacher verifies KA1 from the portfolio folder; wrong names or missing PDFs slow bankingsm1_ka1_coursework_doc.docx and sm1_ka1_skills_explanation.docx in 04_evidence, each as editable + PDF

    Good Why vs weak Why

    • Weak: "I used bold because it looks nice."
    • Strong: "Heading 1 on each section so my VPG teacher can scan the placement report in under a minute."

    Name the reader first (teacher, supervisor, customer). The reason usually follows.

    Model skills-explanation table (study this — do not copy into your file)

    Example pack for a Work Experience placement report (anonymised). Your rows must name features you can point to in your coursework file.

    FeatureWhere I used itWhy it suits the audience
    Heading stylesSection titles (Duties, Skills, Reflection)Lets my VPG teacher scan the report quickly without rereading every paragraph
    Paragraph spacingBody text under each headingKeeps the page readable on screen and in PDF so the supervisor is not put off by a cramped block
    TableWeekly hours and tasks breakdownLines up figures so totals and busy days are obvious at a glance
    Header and page numberTop of each page / footerIdentifies me on every page if the teacher prints or splits the PDF
    Find and Replace + spell-checkPlacement name and full documentRemoves mixed spellings before hand-in so the report looks careful, not rushed

    Do not type Ciara, brownies, or stall into your file. If those words appear, delete the row and rewrite about your own document.

    Your teacher may also screen-share this table. Vague rows will not pass.

    3 - Step-by-step Task ~15 mins

    Lock your coursework file under the correct KA1 name, run a quick polish pass (or punch-list what you will finish later), then build the skills-explanation shell in sm1_ka1_skills_explanation.docx inside 04_evidence: title, four section headings, purpose, audience, and an empty features table with bold headers. You fill your own Why rows in Independent practice. Your teacher will show one PDF export path before you work alone. Do not copy model table text into your file.

    4 - Common Issues ~4 mins

    Common Issues

    IssueSolution
    I am not sure which document counts for KA1Pick a document another LCA teacher, placement supervisor, or real contact will actually use. Practice-only ICT files without a real audience are not enough. Ask your teacher to confirm before you polish.
    My skills explanation only lists buttons I clickedRewrite each row so the Why column names the reader or the job (scan faster, export cleanly, keep costs aligned, remove spelling drift). "I used bold" without a reason will not pass a teacher check.
    I still have model or stall wording in my tableDelete it. Every row must name a feature you can point to in your own {{code:sm1_ka1_coursework_doc.docx}}. Never leave Ciara, brownies, or stall in the file.
    I cannot find five different Module 1 featuresLook back through your Module 1 work: styles, spacing, alignment, table tools, images or shapes, headers and footers, page numbers, section or page breaks, Find and Replace, comments or Track Changes, spell-check, PDF export. Path B today: three honest rows beat five invented ones. Add a missing technique to the coursework document only if it genuinely helps, then explain it.
    My file is in Downloads or the wrong folderIn OneDrive or Drive, move {{code:sm1_ka1_coursework_doc.docx}} and {{code:sm1_ka1_skills_explanation.docx}} into {{code:Project_Portfolio/09_specialism/sm1/04_evidence/}}. Recreate PDFs after moving if needed.
    Print or PDF looks different from the screenUse Print preview before you finish. Check margins, page breaks inside tables, and header or footer collisions. Fix in the editable file, then export PDF again.

    5 - Independent Practice ~22 mins

    Independent Practice

    Your goal: Bank as much of your SM1 KA1 pack as you can today. Priority order: correct filenames in 04_evidence, then solid Why rows about YOUR document, then proofing note, then PDFs. A complete honest pack beats a pretty half-pack. Coursework polish is verify-or-punch-list unless your document was already near-final.
    Time: ~25 minutes
    Task: Open sm1_ka1_coursework_doc.docx and sm1_ka1_skills_explanation.docx in Project_Portfolio/09_specialism/sm1/04_evidence/. Finish purpose and audience if needed. Fill the features table with justified rows about features you can point to in YOUR coursework file (Path A: at least five rows; Path B: at least three real rows today). Complete the proofing note. Export fresh PDFs of both files into the same folder using the path you practised: Word Online uses File, Save as (or Export), Download as PDF; Google Docs uses File, Download, PDF Document. Name the PDFs sm1_ka1_coursework_doc.pdf and sm1_ka1_skills_explanation.pdf. If polish is unfinished, leave a one-line punch list for before next lesson — do not invent fake content.
    Success criteria:
    • Both files named correctly and saved in 04_evidence
    • Purpose and audience written in plain English about YOUR document
    • Path A: at least five feature rows linking technique to reader benefit, no model wording; Path B: at least three real rows plus a written plan for the remaining rows before next lesson
    • Proofing note filled; editable files proofed as far as time allows
    • Path A target: both PDFs open cleanly in 04_evidence; Path B may bank skills PDF today and finish coursework PDF after polish if the draft is still thin
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