Databases: Tools for Databases: Tools for the Information Agethe Information Age

Four Major Resources in Four Major Resources in Modern SocietyModern Society

land/natural resources laborcapital information/knowledge

Sometime, during the Sometime, during the second half of the 20th second half of the 20th century, Western Society century, Western Society evolved from an industrial evolved from an industrial to a post-industrial, or to to a post-industrial, or to be precise, an Information be precise, an Information Society.Society.

Education for an Education for an Industrial Society Industrial Society

Centered on teaching the Three R's: ‘Reading, ‘Riting, and ‘Rithmetic."

Its aim: to produce a disciplined workforce -- punctual, conformist, specialized -- to operate the brute machinery of the nation-state.

Education for an Education for an Information Society Information Society

Must center on the Three C's: Children, Computers, and Communication.

Its aim: to produce a creative

workforce -- adaptable, entrepreneurial, interdisciplinary -- to help solve the problems of this planet.

Data -- Information -- Data -- Information -- KnowledgeKnowledge

Data: raw materials, building blocks, which have no inherent meaning – examples: 24,542 black yellow March 3,

1982

Information: Data placed in a meaningful form– examples: numbers arranged in a table of

census data or provided in context

Knowledge: Insights, judgements humans form upon interacting with information

Information ExplosionInformation Explosion Information doubles every 5 years Why? What has contributed to this

exponential growth?– 1. New answers to scientific questions (which generates

more questions and answers)– 2. Bureaucracy in government and life

Our challenge: How to manage and make useful this information

Benefits of Managing Data Benefits of Managing Data with Computerswith Computers

more efficient organization, storage, retrieval, sorting, & manipulation of data

which promotes understanding and communication of information

What is a Database?What is a Database?

An organized collection of related information Sample non-electronic databases:

– telephone book– home inventory– recipe file– card catalog– (organized) file cabinet

Elements of a Database Elements of a Database FileFile File

– Collection of information about a topic– Examples: card catalog, telephone book

Record– All the information about one entry in a file– Examples: individual book or person

Field– Attributes which organize the information within

a record– Examples: author, title, name, telephone number

Entry– Specific data entered within a field– Example: Little House on the Prairie, 278-4465

Capabilities of all Capabilities of all Electronic DatabasesElectronic Databases

Finding records Sorting records

– by any field– Examples: last name, date of birth, last

account activity

Selecting records which meet specific criteria– Example: Clients who responded to the last

mailing.

Printing reports– Example: Names and addresses of clients

living in Fresno or Clovis.

Databases for EducatorsDatabases for Educators

Management of instruction Method of instruction

Management of Management of InstructionInstruction

Student information– address, phone, birthdate, parent names, status

of health exams

Classroom materials– textbook assignments, check-out of books and

equipment

Organization of curriculum – lesson plans– resources available within the school

Method of InstructionMethod of Instruction

Allows students to organize and, thus, create their own knowledge

Promotes development of higher order thinking skills

Microsoft Works Data ViewMicrosoft Works Data View

Microsoft Works List ViewMicrosoft Works List View

Now, Let’s Get Busy!Now, Let’s Get Busy!