Data Representation
Previous knowledge
My previous knowledge of how data is represented in a computer system was limited. I understood that computers work in binary and manipulate data in different ways to acheive certain tasks, but apart from that I have had little or no exposure to this concept
Areas of strength
- Good maths / problem solving skills
Areas of weakness
- Lack of subject knowledge
Current Knowledge
My current knowledge of Data Represention is very much improved and I feel confident that I could teach this based on what i have learned on the SKE course.
Main areas of improvement include.
- The relationships between Data, Information and Knowledge.
- How it is essential that data is contextualised in order that we can gain any knowledge from applying it to a task.
- Different levels of software (machine code, interpreter / assembler and higher level languages
- Binary
- Hexadecimal
- Representing Text
Strategies For teaching
Introduction of how computers are very similar in operation to humans.
Practical input / output exercise. One learner blindfolded another learner must only act on commands of the other learner. See what happens when the wrong information is given.
Data, information and knowledge, mystery object game. Give the class uncontextualised data regarding an object using only numbers. eg 4, 300, 85, 2.4, 6, 1. Then add information until someone guesses the right answer. e.g. 4 wheels, 300 horse power, 85 miles per hour, 2.4 litre engine, 6 seats, 1 steering wheel. The knowledge gained from the contextualised data is that its a car. Then using a worksheet get the class to gather data about something they are interested in and put the information into relevent boxes, data, information and knowledge.
Introduce the concept of binary and bits, nibbles and bytes. Arrange the seating into rows of 8. Randomly give out number cards representing a byte to the class 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128. Get the class to demonstrate how a computer adds up by calling each byte into an ALU marked on the floor and working out how binary adds up from least significant bits to most significant bits. Larger numbers represented by more than one byte.
Learner led discussion about which bit does what.
Introduce ASCII codes to show how text is represented in bytes.
Concepts of coding in binary and the length of time it would take.
Talk about machine code, assembler languages and higher level language. Look at Hexadecimal numbers and how they make coding simpler and easier.
For information about what was covered in the course please follow the appendix 2 link below.