1 - Introduction ~5 mins
You are starting the final Specialism module: the internet and digital literacy. Module 4 goes deeper than basic browsing. You investigate a real question carefully, check bias and authorship, manage your digital footprint, and present findings other people can trust.
The diagram above shows the cycle you will work through: you choose a question, search for sources and save them, judge how reliable they are, and then present what you found.
| What Module 4 ends with | What it means for you |
|---|---|
| A presentation | You show what your investigation found, with sources anyone could check |
| A written reflection | You explain how you investigated and what you would do differently |
| Today's job | Get a focused Investigation Proposal approved before you leave |
Both of those pieces grow out of one question, and today you lock that question down, tied to your Something Real project or another LCA course you are actually taking.
Where your work lives this module: open {{code:Project_Portfolio}} then {{code:09_specialism/sm4}}. That is where today's {{code:sm4_investigation_proposal}} will live.
By the end of today you will have
- a picture of what Module 4 asks of you: ethics, bias, digital footprint and a real investigation
- an investigation topic that connects to your Something Real project or another course you are taking
- a written proposal naming your topic, your one question, and the people the findings are for
Warm-up
Think of one claim you have seen online recently about money, work, sport, creators, or something linked to your project. In your head: would you bet your Work Experience report or a piece of assessed work on that claim being true, or would you want better proof first?
2 - Key Concepts ~6 mins
Module 4 is a short, serious investigation cycle on a topic that already matters to you. Start with the shape of a usable Investigation Proposal, then the four ideas you need today.
Two versions of the same proposal are compared below. The vague one says only "social media" for the topic and "everyone" for the audience, so there is nothing to search for. The focused one names a product, a place, a question and a real reader, so you know exactly what to go looking for.
| Concept | Why it matters | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Digital literacy (Specialism depth) — judge sources, spot bias, protect privacy, present findings honestly | SM4 Key Assignments need more than copy-paste search results | Check Irish apprenticeship pay on Citizens Information plus one independent source, not only a random blog |
| Investigation topic — a focused subject tied to your Something Real project or another live LCA course | Vague themes are too wide; the link must help a real decision | Phone-accessory side hustle: pricing and review quality for cases sold to Irish secondary students |
| Investigation question — one clear question your research should answer | Sources can prove or challenge a specific answer | "What price range do competing Irish online sellers charge for popular phone cases, and what do recent reviews say about durability?" |
| Intended audience — the real people who will use your findings | Audience sets tone, length, format, and how careful referencing must look | You plus a supplier chat; a Work Experience supervisor; a GAA club committee; a Contemporary Issue Task teacher |
Worked example: Investigation Proposal (sample)
Here is one finished proposal. Your own follows the same shape with your project details.
Working title: Phone case pricing for a small Irish side hustle
Something Real link: Enterprise pitch for selling phone cases and accessories online to secondary students in Munster
Investigation question: What price range do competing Irish online sellers charge for popular phone cases, and what do recent customer reviews say about durability and delivery?
Intended audience: Me (to set a realistic price) and a short briefing I could show a potential local supplier
Why the findings would help them: If I underprice, I lose money on postage and stock. If I overprice, students will buy elsewhere. I need current Irish figures, not guesswork from a US blog.
Later presentation idea (not fixed yet): short referenced one-pager or carousel of findings for class and for the SM4 KA1 Presentation
Notice the question is narrow, local, and useful. That is the standard for your Investigation Proposal today.
3 - Module 4 Map and Topic Exploration ~15 mins
With your teacher, map what Module 4 adds beyond basic internet skills, then shortlist investigation ideas linked to your Something Real project or another LCA course. There is no single correct topic: the test is focus, usefulness, and a clear audience.
Narrowed examples (shape only — do not copy the topic):
- "What do local cafés near my school charge for a takeaway coffee lunch deal this term?"
- "What training do Irish crèches expect from Work Experience helpers on a childcare placement?"
Your shortlist card (jot on paper or in a draft note):
Idea 1 — question: …
Who needs this answer? …
Link to Something Real or other LCA course: …
Idea 2 — question: …
Who needs this answer? …
Link to Something Real or other LCA course: …
Student checklist before the end of this activity:
- Write two possible investigation questions
- For each, note (1) Something Real or LCA course link and (2) who would use the answer
- Be ready to share one narrowed question with the class
4 - Common Issues ~4 mins
Common Issues
Use this clinic after shortlisting. You already heard the first two rows before pair-share; check the full table now if you are still stuck.
| Issue | Solution |
|---|---|
| My topic is huge (for example "social media" or "business in Ireland") | Add limits: place, audience, product, or time. Change "business" into "what local cafés near my school charge for a takeaway coffee lunch deal this term". |
| I cannot see a link to my Something Real project | Ask: what decision would this research help me make? Price, schedule, audience, safety, supplier, club support, Work Experience task. If it helps none of those, pick a closer question. |
| My question is really a yes/no slogan ("Is the internet bad?") | Rewrite it so sources can supply evidence: who, what, where, how much, compared with what. Good questions invite facts, not only opinions. |
| I do not know who the audience is | Name a real reader: you, a supervisor, a club committee, a teacher for another course, a customer, a parent helper. "Everyone online" is not an audience. |
5 - Portfolio Build: Investigation Proposal ~20 mins
Portfolio build (teacher circulating)
Copy this skeleton into your document:
Working title:
Something Real / course link:
Investigation question:
Intended audience:
Why the findings would help them (2 sentences):
Sentence starters (if you need them):
Working title: … for …
Something Real / course link: This helps my … because …
Investigation question: What / How / How much … ?
Intended audience: I am writing this for …
Why the findings would help them: They could use these findings to decide … / Without current figures, I risk …
- {{code:sm4_investigation_proposal}} is saved inside {{code:09_specialism/sm4}} in your {{code:Project_Portfolio}} (canonical module name; no .docx or other extension)
- The Investigation Proposal names one focused topic and one clear investigation question (not a vague theme)
- It states how the question links to your Something Real project or another LCA course you are taking
- It names a real intended audience and explains in two sentences why the findings would help them make a decision
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