1. Data, Information & Knowledge
AS I.C.T.
Lecture:
Syllabus Section:
References:
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1.1
Essential ICT for WJEC
AS Level Doyle
AS ICT Module 1
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2. Research Topics
• Definitions of
• Data
• Information
• Knowledge
• Relationships between data, information &
knowledge and appropriate examples
• Encoding information as data
• Knowledge-based (expert) systems & their
uses + the 3 components of an expert system
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3. What is ICT?
• Definition of Information and
Communications Technology (ICT)
• “The use of computer related technology
and devices to input and process data in
order to output information that can be
stored or shared.”
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4. Input-Process-Output
The main purpose of using a computer is to
process data to produce information
input
Computers
read
incoming
data
process
output
Process it
And display or print
information - this may
be used to influence
further input
(feedback)
What exactly is data?
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5. Data - what is it?
Data – definition
• Data is a set of raw facts or figures
• E.g. readings from sensors, or survey facts
• Data items on their own have no real
meaning - they are a stream of raw
values which have not been sorted or
structured in any way
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6. Data - what is it?
• Examples of data
1,12,1.4; 2,12,1.2; 3,16,1.1
Could be:
• Swim times in minutes for 3 swimmers in 2 different age
groups over 100 metres
• Or, height in metres of 3 students in 2 different age
groups
• Another example of data:
9:00, 135/75, 10:00, 135/75, 11:00, 120/60
Could be:
• A patient’s blood pressure reading taken at 3 different
times of the day
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7. So, what use is data?
To reiterate, what is data? Can you remember?
• data items are a stream of raw facts which
have not been sorted or structured in any
way
So, what use is data?
• When many items of similar data are
collected and processed, it becomes useful
• It becomes Information!
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8. So, what use is data?
Data
Examples
of
information
that might
be
obtained
from
processing
many items
of similar
raw data
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Information
the mark achieved
by student
0134289 in ICT
Paper 1
the percentage of
candidates gaining
“A” grades in a
particular year
the time at which
I clocked in for
work
the total number
of hours I worked
last week
the time it took
me to swim 100
metres
average 100 metre
swim times for a
swim club
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9. So what is information?
• To reiterate, what is Information?
• Information is data that has been processed into a
useful form
• Information is needed in organisations to help
support decision making
• e.g. “What consumables do we need to order for
this term?”
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10. What, therefore, is knowledge?
Knowledge – definition
• Knowledge is derived from
information by applying rules to it
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11. What, therefore, is Knowledge?
Knowledge - examples
• Think about the knowledge needed by a doctor to
make a diagnosis
• A doctor could order various tests for a patient such as
blood tests, X-rays and so on.
• From the results of the test, he/she would have
information about the condition of the patient.
• What knowledge would he/she need to be able to make
a diagnosis? remember, knowledge applies rules to
information to ascertain the likely effects of certain
courses of action
• Blood Pressure Rules Blood Sugar Levels
• What does this have to do with ICT?
• Blood pressure graphs
What are the
• More Blood pressure charts
data inputs?
• Ideal weight calculator
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12. Encoding information as data
• Surveys are carried out everyday
•
They may ask
• What product you buy?
• How often do you shop? And so on!
•
To be of use, the information collected needs to be analysed
• E.g. 27.5% respondents had blond hair
•
•
Computers are excellent at analysing data
So first, the mass of information collected needs
to be changed into data that is
• Fast & easy to enter into the computer, with no errors
• Easy to analyse
• Is in a consistent format
•
So we simplify information received into data by
giving it a code
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13. Encoding information as data
• Encoding information as data
• Data Encoding is used to allow some survey
results to be entered into a computer for analysis
• E.g. there may be a survey outside a hair stylists
collecting data on customer’s hair colour
• The data may be encoded:
A = for Brown Hair
C = for Black hair
E = for Grey hair
B = for Blond hair
D = for Red hair
F = Bald, no hair
• Unfortunately, it is not possible to categorise every hair
colour with a code
• Researchers will then have to make a value judgement
• For instance, they may encode Dark Brown or Light
Brown as “A”, thus losing precision
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14. Encoding information as data
Another example:
• College registers could use the following codes:
present
O absent
A authorised absence
L late
- not required in class
• So, how do we record On Holiday?
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15. Encoding information as data
Advantages
Disadvantages
• Saves memory
• Faster to enter – click not
•
•
•
type
Less likely to have
transcription errors
Able to analyse
Greater consistency of data
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• Value judgments are fitted into
a certain category
• Coarsens data by fitting it into
groups, leading to loss of
precision
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16. Summary
Data definition
Raw facts and figures – on their own they have no meaning
e.g. readings from sensors, survey facts
Information definition
Data which has been processed by the computer. It has a
context which makes it meaningful
Knowledge definition
Is derived from information by applying rules to it.
Using information to make decisions
e.g. Data:
1,12,1.4, 2,12,1.2, 3,16,1.1
e.g. Information:
Swim times for 100m
Swimmer No
Age group
Times (mins)
1
12
1.4
2
12
1.2
3
16
1.1
e.g. Knowledge:
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Swimmer No 2 is the fastest in the age 12 group.
Certificates go to swimmers 2 and 3.
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17. Exercise 1
• Using a table similar to that shown on
slide 20
• Measure & record heights & gender of 10
students in your class
• What knowledge can you derive from this
table of information?
• Needs a volunteer to write results on
whiteboard!
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18. Exercise 2
• Using the following codes
• Measure & record hair
colour of 10 students in
your class
• What knowledge can you
derive from this table of
information?
What are the advantages of
encoding information as
data?
What are the disadvantages
of using value judgements?
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Codes:
A=Brown hair
B=Blonde hair
C=Black hair
D=Red hair
E=Grey hair
F=Bald, no hair
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19. Directed Study 1
(a) Define the terms Data, Information
and Knowledge.
[3]
(b) By using an appropriate example,
explain the relationship between Data,
Information and Knowledge.
[3]
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