Learning outcomes

After studying this unit you should be able to:

• identify some of the instances in daily life where a computer is, or is likely to be, involved;
• given a simple scenario, list most of the obvious information or data required by the parties in that scenario, and give some examples of how the information or data might be used;
• explain briefly what perceptual data is, and how it is turned into a form that can be used by a person for reasoning or by a computer for processing;
• given a figure, identify whether it is a sign and, if so, what it symbolises;
• describe, in simple terms, the difference between data and information;
• give a simple explanation of why computers are important to people in terms of data and information;
• describe what a parameter is and identify the parameters in a particular scenario;
• explain in simple terms what a computer program is, and why one is necessary;
• explain the role of the computer with respect to the data given to it;
• make use of a search engine to find websites corresponding to a topic of your choice, using some of the advanced search features, and be able to state how many computers (at a minimum) are involved in using a search engine and which role each has;
• understand what a gateway is and what advantages it offers a user in searching for a topic;
• briefly explain how requirements (e.g. considering the environment in which a computer might be used) affect the presentation of information, giving a simple example;
• list some of the problems raised by very large databases even when the basic unit of data is very simple;
• explain briefly what advantages a computer system can offer a creative artist and what characteristic enables it to do so;
• describe briefly the elements of a distributed system that are needed for selling on the web;
• describe the role of computers in controlling mechanical devices;
• explain the role of sensors and actuators in a computer-controlled application, given a brief description of that application;
• identify some simple safety considerations in a computer-controlled application;
• identify appropriate information displays in a given situation.