3.4.1 A computer system is the combination of: the computer (with its processor and storage); other equipment such as a scanner or printer, the software programs that make it all work (software programs that are designed to help with some human task are often referred to as applications).
3.1 Making sensation make sense In the previous section you learned something about what data is, where it can be found, and how it can be used. But have you ever thought about how we get data in the first place? As human beings, we are so used to reading, writing, speaking and observing that we rarely think about the true origins of the data we commonly use with such ease. I don't intend taking you back to these origins – that would take too long. Rather, I want to describe how human beings ‘get’ data and put it into
2.3 Summary This section showed that computers pervade our daily lives, but that many of them are invisible to us. It investigated the information requirements of certain individuals, such as shoppers and doctors. You learned that their requirements can range from the simple and obvious to the complex and not so obvious. You also learned that it is not just individuals who require information: it is also essential to the operation of organisations. The example of loyalty cards was used
2.1.2 Data and information So far, I have used two words in connection with computers: data and information. Did you see any differences in the way the two terms have been used? Let me point out one. Data refers to discrete items, such as the price of an item on the shelf of a supermarket, or the type of product listed on a sign over a supermarket aisle. The word ‘data’ is a plural Latin word but it is generally used as a singular word in English. In contrast, information involves linking
1.1 What this unit is about Each venture Is a new beginning, a raid on the inarticulate … T. S. Eliot, ‘East Coker’ Some years ago I was playing with my nephew. ‘Guess what’, he said. ‘My gran remembers before there was television!’ He was clearly thinking about the past in terms of ‘before there was television’. At that time, I was working in computing, and most people couldn't really un
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 co
Introduction This unit is from our archive and it is an adapted extract from Data, computing and information (M150) which is no longer in presentation. If you wish to study formally at The Open University, you may wish to explore the courses we offer in this curriculum area. Computers are used to find, store, process and share data and information. The World Wide Web is an example
Introduction School governors need to be involved in the monitoring and evaluation of secondary schools. But what areas should you be monitoring and how can you ensure that monitoring is effective. This course will help you assess these matters and also look at the kind of evidence you should be sourcing, and how that evidence should be evaluated. This OpenLearn course provides a sample of postgraduate study in Author(s):
Introduction This course examines four of the ‘grand theories’ of child development: behaviourism, social learning, constructivism and social constructivism. This OpenLearn course provides a sample of Level 2 study in Education.
Introduction There are many approaches to using film music in the classroom, including: a focus on pupil experience; a focus on the structure of composition; a focus on the relationship between music and image; This course will explore some of these approaches through various activities. Find out more about studying with The Open University by Author(s):
Prices
This unit looks at a wide variety of ways of comparing prices and the construction of a price index. You will also look at the Retail Price Index (RPI) and the Consumer Price Index (CPI), indices used by the UK Government to calculate the percentage by which prices in general have risen over any given period. You wil also look at the important statistical and mathematical ideas that contribute to the construction of a price index.Author(s):
Introduction This course introduces you to the concepts of: It will provide you with the skills and confidence to engage in further OER work as both creator and user. Find out more about studying with The Open University byÂ
Am I ready to study in English?
Even if you feel confident using English in everyday situations, studying in English at higher education level might present extra challenges. This free course, Am I ready to study in English?, provides an opportunity for you to reflect on your English language skills through a series of academic exercises.
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Your understanding and attitudes to science
What is meant by 'science'? How do political, philosophical and religious beliefs affect scientific discoveries and developments? In this free course, Your understanding and attitudes to science, you focus on your own experiences and knowledge of science, and you look at creative contexts to support children's scientific learning in primary schools and early years settings.Author(s):
Engaging with educational research
This free course, Engaging with educational research, introduces you to the theoretical toolkit that is an essential part of engaging in educational enquiry. You will consider the types of theories and what their role is in the research process. Two very influential research perspectives are examined to identify differences in ways we think about and study the social world.Author(s):
Youth work: Introducing policy
In this free course, Youth work: Introducing policy, we will look at the meaning of policy, how it works as a mechanism for persuading people to behave in particular ways, its role in shaping our understandings of young people, and the role practitioners can play in mediating and influencing policy. First published on Thu,
Introduction This course introduces you to analysing academic writing and, in particular, the way an article might be structured to clearly explain an investigation to other researchers. It explores the issue of observation of children and young people across the age range birth to 18 years using qualitative observation approaches in small-scale studies. This OpenLearn course provides a sample of level 3 study in Author(s):
The interplay between leading and learning
Leadership in learning contexts is not confined to those who have it as part of their job title. Everyone has opportunities for leading - be it of learners, of colleagues in curriculum or project development, or more formally. Everyone also has the opportunity for learning. This unit explores the interplay between leadership and learning.Author(s):
Working with young people in sport and exercise
This unit examines the special considerations of coaching or instructing young people in sport and exercise. The physiological differences between children and adults will be considered along with the practical implications of coaching young people. First published on Wed, 23 May 2012 as Author(s):
Learning and practice: Agency and identities
This free course, Learning and practice: Agency and identities, introduces you to a sociocultural approach to understanding and analysing learning in educational institutions, the home and the workplace. First published on Thu, 14 Apr 2016 as Author(s):
