Tools 1 Zarkovic
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This document discusses tools for information processes and focuses on collecting, organizing, and analyzing data. It begins by outlining the topics that will be covered in part 1, including collecting data through defining data needs, identifying sources, and gathering data manually or automatically. It then discusses organizing data by arranging, representing, and formatting it, noting the five main types of data. The document concludes by providing examples of how different types of data like text, numbers, images, audio, and video can be organized.
Tools 1 Zarkovic
- 1. Mr Zarkovic Tools for Information Processes Part 1
- 2. Since this is such a big topic, I have decided to break this lecture up into a number of smaller powerpoints This is part 1 on Collecting Data Organizing Data Analysing Data
- 3. Overview This unit forms the bulk of the Year 11 IPT course The CSTA, in its teaching program, allocates the whole of term 2 for this unit However, this is a little ambitious Twelve to 14 weeks is a more achievable time frame, given the numerous interruptions to year 11
- 4. Overview During this unit, students study in detail the seven information processes Note: Although these processes are presented to students as distinct entities, in reality, this may not always be the case Often these processes will overlap each other They may not necessarily occur in the order that they are presented in the syllabus as well Students must be aware of computer-based (automatic) and non-computer-based (manual) methods for each process
- 5. Collecting Data This involves: Defining the data Identifying the data source Gathering the data
- 6. Defining data This refers to the need to clarify the problem To begin with, this involves interviews and observations to identify issues and goals Open ended questions are used so that an overview of a situation is obtained The responses are reviewed by the project team and management Result: An area of focus is identified From this starting point, surveys are developed (using closed questions) to gather data of greater relevance to the focus area
- 7. Identifying the data source Primary data - is data that is collected first hand from surveys, questionnaires, observations, etc It is the most accurate but most costly and time consuming Secondary data – is data collected by someone else (like the ABS, Gallop, A.C.Nielson, etc) This is cheaper and quicker but not always exactly what you want
- 8. Gathering the data Manually – data is collected by people completing forms and the data being entered by a keyboard Automatically – via an electronic device, e.g. scanner, microphone or even an automated traffic counter Data can also be collected via a web page
- 9. Hardware used for data collection This is a fairly broad area and includes devices like: different types of keyboards, mice, track pads, trackballs, light pens, graphics tablets, touch screens, microphones, scanners, digital cameras, digital video cameras, etc. This can be covered by setting an assignment where students have to research the operation of two devices how it works what it is typically used for any software used by the device to aid in the collection of data
- 10. Hardware used for data collection There needs to be sufficient detail presented e.g. for devices like scanners and digital cameras it is important that students mention the role of the Charged Couple Device (CCD) and the analogue to digital converter (ADC) chip The CCD is a grid of light sensitive sensors that generate electrical signals when light falls on them These signals are then converted by the ADC chip into digital signals
- 11. CCD Scanner Sensor Analogue Data Digital Data Light Source ADC Chip Scanner Head Light Reflected Light Document
- 12. Digital Camera Analogue Data Light ADC Chip Digital Data Camera Lens CCD – A grid of light sensors
- 13. Software used for data collection The operating system is the most important piece of software as it essentially runs the entire computer It also plays a major role in accepting data from input devices It is important for students to be able to distinguish between Graphical User Interfaces (GUI) and Command Line Interfaces
- 14. Software used for data collection It is also worth-while talking about the boot process, but only in very general terms e.g. booting a Windows PC When a computer is first powered-up, certain programs stored permanently in ROM are activated One of the programs does a diagnostic check on the computer. This information is displayed on the screen before Windows loads
- 15. Software used for data collection After the diagnostic check is complete, another program stored in ROM called “NT loader” is activated This program goes out to the hard drive and looks for the Windows operating system software. If it finds it, Windows is loaded into RAM and activated Keep it simple
- 16. Non-computer procedures One weakness with the current syllabus that the importance of good survey design is not given enough emphasis The link between survey design and the identified focus area of data collection is critical Students need experience at brainstorming issues and devising a series of questions that will provide meaningful data In order to obtain useful data, there should be a majority of closed questions
- 17. Non-computer procedures There are whole books devoted to survey design, however I emphasize three types of responses: Numerical (the respondent gives a number) Lickert Scales e.g. Always, Mostly, Sometimes, Rarely, Never. (there are many variations) Categorical: e.g. The state of your birth is: NSW, Qld, Vic, etc The questions that students develop should make use of these survey design techniques Don’t forget that open questions are still fine to use, but limit them I save old survey forms and analyse their structure with students e.g. Australian Lifestyle Survey Encourage students to use checkboxes in their surveys
- 18. Non-computer procedures Surveys are important because the data is often incorporated in databases Be aware though that not all data collection involves a survey e.g. making a student newsletter will involve interviews and observations but not necessarily a survey
- 19. Organizing This involves Arranging Representing Formatting data for use by other information processes Often, data is organised as part of the collection process
- 20. Organizing Remember, there are five different types of data: Text Numbers Image Audio Video These can be organized in a number of ways:
- 21. Text Includes punctuation signs, symbols, spaces, etc Most text is converted into binary using ASCII encoding EBCDIC encoding is used less today With Word Art, the text is actually organized as a graphic Text can also be ‘hypertext’ i.e. linked text
- 22. Numbers Numbers can be organized as text, but we cannot do any calculations with them Numbers are most useful when organized using non-text formats and placed in a table-like structure (such as a spreadsheet)
- 23. Images These are organised as: Bit maps (aka raster graphics), or Vectors The difference between the two lies in how data about the image is stored in memory
- 24. Images - Bitmaps Data is stored about the colour and intensity of every pixel (picture element) on the screen in a ‘frame buffer’ which could be part of main RAM (on-board video) or on a video card For each pixel there is a corresponding memory location. The amount of data we store for each pixel determines the ‘colour depth’ of the image and the number of colours available E.g. 1 bit => 21 = 2 colours for each pixel i.e. on or off, monochrome e.g. black and white images ‘8 bit colour’ => 28 = 256 colours for each pixel ‘16 bit colour’ => 216 = 65536 colours Requires large amount of RAM and very fast processing Suitable for photographic images Difficult to move part of an image without effecting the rest of the image Resizing can result in pixelation, ‘stair-casing’, etc Created by a ‘paint’ programs, e.g. Microsoft Paint, Photoshop
- 25. Images - Vector The graphic is composed of objects- such as rectangles, circles, lines, etc For each object, all that is stored in memory is the starting and ending coordinates, object type, line thickness, fill colour/pattern, etc Uses a lot less memory and data is processed faster Individual objects may be selected and manipulated without effecting the rest of the image Objects can be resized without loss of detail but individual pixels cannot be edited, only whole objects Created by ‘draw’ programs e.g. Microsoft Word Draw Tools, AppleWorks Draw
- 26. Audio MIDI – Musical Instrument Digital Interface Data is in the form of ‘note information’ for the attached instrument e.g. the pressure and duration of every note strike Small file sizes Cannot produce speech Editing requires knowledge of music Suits synthesizers
- 27. Audio Waveform files (MP3, WAV, etc) Samples are taken of the sound and saved as a file By playing back the measurements the original sound wave is recreated Sample rate – the number of samples of the sound wave per second Sample size – the number of data bits used to store data about the sound The greater the sample rate and size the better the quality of the play back sound Many sound files are compressed to save storage space e.g. mp3
- 28. Video Storing visual and auditory data by taking a number of samples Each sample is called a fame Each frame contains data describing the light intensity and colour of all of the pixels that make up the CCD (and also the screen) of the camera Huge demand on storage, hence many compression formats e.g. mpeg, QuickTime (overlaps with ‘storing and retrieving’ and ‘transmitting and receiving’ processes)
- 29. Organizing – In general… How data is organised really depends on the subsequent information processes that are going to be applied to the data e.g. A story may be organised as text (.doc), however it may also be organized as a graphic file (.pdf) or an audio file (.wav)
- 30. File Formats A good clue as to how a document is organized is given by the file extension e.g. A file named “pc102.jpg” is an image file because it has a .jpg extension. Just by knowing this we can infer that the graphic : Uses 24 bit (16.7 million) colour, Is probably a photograph, Uses a high, lossy compression, Is probably being used for the internet
- 31. File Formats As an in-class exercise I get my students to research various file formats and what they are used for (there is a huge number) Ware and Grover’s book “Information Processes and Technology – Preliminary Course” has some good information on this aspect of the course
- 32. Software for Organising Data As you’d expect, most of the common applications software can be used to organise data into a desired format e.g. Text – Word processor and DTP software There are other important software tools used to convert data from one format to another, e.g. “Graphic Converter” on the Macs Data tables can be created in a number of ways: In a word processor Using web authoring software Using a database Using a spreadsheet
- 33. Organising – social & ethical issues If data is not organised properly then the old acronym ‘G.I.G.O.’ (garbage in, garbage out) will apply. The importance of data organisation can be stressed to students by describing the Y2K phenomenon Although Y2K is ancient history, its ‘worst case scenarios’ serve the purpose of illustrating how badly organised data can have deleterious effects on humans
- 34. End of Tools - Part 1 Please Open: Lecture_5_Tools_Part_2_.ppt