1 - Introduction ~5 mins
Warm-up first
Take about one minute. On scrap paper or at the top of a blank note, write:
- Purpose word: inform, persuade, instruct, report, or reflect
- Audience line: who is in the room and whether it is live
Board starter if you need one: persuade / SEC (State Examinations Commission) examiner and teacher, live interview.
Then, without overthinking it, which format would you reach for first: a slide deck, an infographic, a short podcast clip, or a short video? Hold that gut answer.
Why today matters
Today you lock which digital format fits that purpose and audience for your live VET interview. A strong idea in the wrong format still falls flat, so this stops you building the wrong piece for the next few weeks.
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
- Use a decision approach to match digital format to purpose and audience
- Compare slide decks, infographics, podcasts, and short video for fit
- Lock a justified format decision for the VET presentation
2 - Key Concepts ~8 mins
Requirements analysis here means a short check before you build: what is this for, who is it for, and which format helps that job most.
Decision flowchart (use this order)
- Purpose: inform, persuade, instruct, report, or reflect?
- Audience: what they know, what they must leave knowing, live or alone?
- Constraints: time, live or leave-behind, sound, device, motion or data you must show.
- Content shape: multi-point argument, one visual story, spoken narrative, or a process to demonstrate.
- Pick the format that wins on purpose and audience, then name one format you ruled out and why.
Live interview rule: Your primary format must work face-to-face on interview-day hardware. Keep a leave-behind backup if you can (for example a short live deck plus the same file as PDF on a USB).
Watch on screen: Your teacher will flash Aoife's finished five headings for about a minute, then show them again when you write your own page. Same five labels every time: Chosen format, Purpose fit, Audience fit, Ruled out, Constraint check.
Mini sample (bar to aim for):
- Chosen format: Short slide deck (about 5 slides).
- Purpose fit: Persuade needs a clear path the panel can follow while I talk.
Quick format comparison
| Format | Best when |
|---|---|
| Slide deck | Structured live talk with clear sections |
| Infographic | One visual story, a few strong numbers, glance-and-go |
| Podcast / audio | Personal voice or story without needing slides |
| Short video | A process or demo faster to show than to describe |
Your teacher will name the main watch-outs on screen (bullet overload, tiny text, sound, reliable playback). Fit matters more than the app brand.
3 - Step-by-step Task ~13 mins
Your teacher demos Brief 1 live with the decision flowchart. Use the brief text below (also on your handout or board). You do not retype the full scenarios. In your practice document you only write the five shared decision headings under each brief you complete, then a short Pattern note if time allows.
Brief 1 (class demo — copy the class decision): Persuade the VET interview panel that a phone-repair side hustle is realistic. Audience: SEC examiner and teacher, live, about 3 minutes. Content: problem, offer, simple costs, one next step.
Brief 2 (you run this): GAA club one-page visual for the clubhouse noticeboard showing fundraiser totals, top sellers, and remaining target. Audience: players and parents who glance while walking past. Content: three or four numbers and a clear takeaway.
Brief 3 stays oral with the class if time remains (hours tracker demo for a busy Work Experience supervisor). Do not invent a new scenario — use the handout or board text only.
4 - Common Issues ~4 mins
Common Issues
| Issue | Solution |
|---|---|
| I pick a format because I like the app, not because it fits | Force the order: purpose, audience, constraints, content shape, then format. If the format only wins on "I enjoy CapCut", it is not locked yet. |
| Two formats both seem fine and I cannot choose | Ask which one helps the VET interviewer verify your learning in under three live minutes. Keep the winner as format 1; park the other as a possible second format later in the module. |
| My practice document is not in the sm2 folder | In OneDrive or Drive, move it into {{code:Project_Portfolio/09_specialism/sm2}}. Next time, open that folder first and create the file from inside it. |
| I still do not have a purpose sentence or audience notes | Write one purpose word (inform, persuade, instruct, report, or reflect) and one audience line (SEC examiner and teacher, live interview). That is enough to run today's flowchart. |
5 - Independent Practice ~20 mins
Independent Practice
- Chosen format
- Purpose fit
- Audience fit
- Ruled out
- Constraint check
Fallback if Something Real is still vague: purpose = persuade; audience = SEC examiner and teacher, live interview; topic = a skill, Work Experience task, or mini-enterprise you know.
Changing your mind from the warm-up gut pick is a win, not a fail — a short plain-English reason under Purpose fit and Audience fit is enough to lock it.
- {{code:sm2_format_decision}} in {{code:sm2}} names one primary format
- Purpose fit and Audience fit use plain sentences
- Chosen format is justified for purpose and live audience
- Ruled out names one alternative with a clear reason
- Constraint check names one live limit (time, hardware, sound, or backup) and shows the format can survive it
Unlock the full learning experience
You're previewing this lesson. Get full access to this lesson and hundreds more — each one ready to teach, with interactive activities, printable resources and pupil progress tracking built in.
This lesson is copyright of Coding Ireland 2017 - 2025. Unauthorised use, copying or distribution is not allowed.