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- An introduction to data and information
An introduction to data and information

Ever wondered how a computer processes data into information? This free course, An introduction to data and information, will help you to understand the distinction between the two and examines how a computer-based society impacts on daily life. You will learn what computers can do with data to produce information and how computers can be used to work with data and search for it, control machines, and support commercial operations.
Course learning outcomes
After studying this course, you should be able to:
- identify some of the instances in daily life where a computer is, or is likely to be, involved
- 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
- 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.
First Published: 09/08/2012
Updated: 22/02/2016
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Course content
- Introduction
- Learning outcomes
- 1 An introduction to data and information
- 2 Daily life and computers
- 3 Sensing data and turning it into something usable
- 4 Computers as tools for finding
- 5 Computers as tools for working with data
- 6 Controlling things; selling things
- Conclusion
- Acknowledgements
- This site has Copy Reuse Tracking enabled - see our FAQs for more information.
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About this free course
20 hours study
Level 1: Introductory
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