Week 11-Building Knowledge

Lecture summary

Week eleven lecture mainly concentrate on the terms: data, information and knowledge. The definition for these three terms are as follow:

» Datum: A fact or proposition
» Information: A collection of facts or data that relate to each other
» Knowledge: The sum or range of what has been perceived, discovered, or learned

Knowlege is usually very judgemental and above all, very valuable.

A data is factual but non judgemental. In addition, it is non valuable and must be quantitative rather than qualitative.

Next, information refers to understanding relations while knowledge refer to understanding patterns. Data and information are two terms which are correlated to one another. Data exist but have no meaning or significance. Likewise, information doesn't need to have meaning but unlike data, "Information is data that has been given meaning by way of relational connection".

Knowledge was defined as the sum or range of what have been percieved, discovered or learned. Unlike information, knowledge is intented to be useful. These three key terms are the building blocks for the process which are taken following the commencement of an assignment.

» Data – usually relates to the research phase of your assignment

»Information – usually relates to the building phase of your assignment

» Knowledge – usually relates to the composition phase of your

Due to technical difficulties graphical representation of the relationship between data, information, knowledge and wisdom had to be displayed below. I apologise for any inconvinience. This representation relates to section 2.

Tutorial summary

Week eleven tutorial consist of four main tasks. The first task require us to use online dictionaries to compile a definition for the folowing four terms: data, information, knowledge and wisdom. The second task invovles finding alternative ways of representing these terms. In addition, it require us to take a screen shot. The third task require us to briefly outline erstanding the relationship between these four terms can assist in our university study. Lastly, we are required to make a list of five organisation which collect information from their clients or the public. In addition, we are required to state why such orgainsations collect information from their clients or the public.

1. Brows the following webpage http://www.success.co.il/is/dik.html and use the Internet to find some dictionaries that you can look up the terms data, information, knowledge and wisdom. If you are stuck - this is a good place to start http://dir.yahoo.com/Reference/Dictionaries
a. From this research compile your own definition for terms data, information, knowledge and wisdom and record the definitions in your Learning log

An online dictionary definition for the following terms are as follow:

Data:The word "data" is commonly used to refer to records or recordings encoded for use in computer, but is more widely used to refer to statistical (Prof. Michael Buckland, University of California, Berkeley, USA)

Information:Information is facts, figures, and other forms of meaningful representations that when encountered by or presented to a human being are used to enhance his/her understanding of a subject or related topics (Prof. Haidar Moukdad, Dalhousie University, Canada)

Knowledge:Knowledge is knowing, familiarity gained by experience; person's range of information; a theoretical or practical understanding of; the sum of what is known (Prof. Elsa Barber, University of Buenos Aires, Argentina)

Wisdom:the quality of being wise; power of judging rightly and following the soundest course of action, based on knowledge, experience, understanding, etc.; good judgment; sagacity (http://www.yourdictionary.com/wisdom)

2. Use the lecture slides and a search of web for alternative ways to represent these terms. Use the drawing toolbar in MS Word to create a graphical representation of these terms (don’t just copy the one used in the lecture).
a. create a screen-capture and include in your learning log

3. Outline briefly how understanding the relationship between data, information and knowledge can assist your university study - include this in your Learning Log.

As mentioned earlier, these three terms are the building blocks for undertaking any assessment. Once you know what you are looking for, it is then that you can look for relevant data e.g. facts and statistics which you can use to backup your observation or statements. Secondly, once you have collected the relevant data, you are able to piece it together in a manner that it will draw meaning to your assessment. Likewise, you are then able to visualise patterns which will help you to structure your work and draw a conlcusion. Lastly, you are able to make a personal judgement base on the information which you have collected. In addition, you are able to interpret the data and begin to develop your own understanding of the topic. Likewise, you are able to summarise the content and put forward some recommendation.

4. Make a list of at least 5 organisations that collect information from their clients or the public. Can you think of a reason why they might collect this information?

Centrelink: Centrelike is a government organisation set up to help individuals look for work and also to provide them with fortnightly allowance. They require information about your income, status and also occupation. This is of great importance because it allow them to assess your individual needs and condition. In addition, it allow them to offer you the right service whether it invovle looking for a job or fortnightly payment.

Insurance campany: An insurance campany collect information about the value and sizes of your assets. It is of great importance that they collect this information because it allow them to calculate the amount required to insure these assets.

Transperth: Transperth collect information from the public about the efficiency of their service. This is of great importance because it allow them to evaluate their performance and

Police:
Police collect information from the public about criminal activities which are taking place or incidences which has occurred along time ago. They collect this information for several reasons. Firstly, it helps them to prevent the intended criminal activity from occurring. Secondly, it may give them the missing information required to convict an offered or to solve an unsolved case. It is of great importance for them to collect this information because it’s their way of ensuring the safety of the general public.

Political parties:
Political parties collect information from the public for several reasons. Firstly they collect information about the living condition of working families and what they value as the most important. Secondly, they collect information from the public about which party is most preferred by the public. It is through this, that they are then able to modify their campaign in order to persuade the public to vote for them as the most desired party.

Reading summary 1+2 - Data, Information, Knowledge, and Wisdom
The reading http://www.systems-thinking.org/dikw/dikw.htm, provided definitions to data, information, and knowledge. It explained the relationship between them. The content of the human mind can be classified into five categories:
1. Data: which is symbol.
2. Information: the data that are meant to be useful and also provides answer to who, what, where and when questions.
3. Knowledge: is the collection of data and information and answers the how question.
4. Understanding: approval to the answer to why question.
5. Wisdom: evaluated understanding.
The first categories relate to the past. They deal with what has been or what is known. The fifth category deals with the future. With wisdom, people can create the future. They can take hold of the present and the past and create the future.
The second reading, http://otec.uoregon.edu/data-wisdom.htm, was on the information library Tutorial that provided several links. There were also sites to guide the students. These guides were:
The Production of Knowledge,
The Organization of Knowledge,
From Thesis to Search Strategy,
Fundamentals of Online Searching,
Using Reference Resources,
Citing Your Sources,
Copyright and Fair Use.
The site contained links to handouts, to help guide the students.