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.