Summary Chapter 5 Ana Lucia Perez

7/31/2019 Summary Chapter 5 Ana Lucia Perez

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Ana

LuciaPrezGarca

20

12

DATAB

ASES

Org

anizing

andAna

lyzingInfor

mation

Nowadays, we encounter great amounts of informationeverywhere. Information that although useful can resultconfusing and time consuming. In this brief summary Ihave written tips and suggestions to help minimizeinformation overload and maximize correct usage and

application of databases with the intention to simplify theteaching-learning process through effective planningmethods and valuable sources of information.

Universidad Mariano Glvez deGuatemala

Escuela de IdiomasTecnologa de Informacin y

Comunicacin EducativaLicda. Silvia Sowa


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Introduction

As teachers, we need to find information quickly that not only is

reliable and factual but also easy to find. The first thing that comes tomind is to use internet. After all, there is no other faster source for

information. The problem begins after we have typed the words that open

great amounts of information that require a lot of time to go through and

we sometimes end up wasting more mingling through all those pages

trying to find specifically one page.

Databases are useful and certainly filled with information. The clue

is use certain tips to organize information and be able to find what we

need the way we need it: FAST. We do not have much time to process

documents because we need to plan, grade, teach, etc!

This summary is designed to provide easy suggestions for getting

along with the task of looking for information efficiently and effectively. It

s main goal is to help us when we must analyze and organize information

found in great amounts.


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Objectives

On a daily basis we find ourselves dealing with excessive

information also known as information overload. That at times add stress

to our personal, professional and social life. With the objective of

simplifying these problems in this summary I will do the following:

Explain briefly and concisely the features and functions of database

tools so we can better understand them.

Enumerate available sources for databases.

Describe ways in which teachers and students can learn with

databases.

Explain ways we can teach using databases.


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What are databases?

Databases are collections of information/facts that are related and storedin a computer. Databases are everywhere for example when we buy using our

ATM card, the store is connected with the bank, travel agencies, hospitals, etc. It

would be impossible for companies to function without the use of databases.

Features and functions of databases

In word processors, databases are also acquired with applications such as

Microsoft Works orAppleWorks among others. Some of these programs allow

users to prepare their own database files so they can store their own data while

others have prepared database files that enable access to existing collections of

information.

Databases can be categorized depending on the ways in which they store

and organize information. Some database programs are called flat-file because

a single file consisting of base, links or related information separate files in a

common field called a key field. Another type of database is relational database,

links or related files are separated by using a common field called a key field.

For example, a key field could be Ss identification numbers. This way, school

personnel can relate information stored in a personal background database with

information stored in a grade history database and or information stored in a

course history database.

Users can normally correct wrong information in databases and store more

information which can be sorted numerically or alphabetically. They also permit

users to extract information previously imputed.

Databases organize information using files, records, fields, and data.

Fields are the main categories which will receive the information called data that

is ever changing. For example Student name is a field and Billy Smith is the

data.

There are three types of databases:

1. Text-Based Databases: They are the most widely used

databases because they include only text information such as

letters and numbers. These allow teachers and Ss to define the

fields and type in the data needed. Information in these programs

(AppleWorks, Microsoft Works, and Access).


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2. Hypermedia Databases: These databases allow visual, auditory

and text information. They use links to connect information and

move through the web. They move users into windows of

information that are opened upon request.

3. Multimedia Databases: this refers to any system that joints

two or more media into a single product or presentation. They do

not present the linkage found in hypermedia databases. These are

linear and are not structured to make information retrievable using

links. Most of them include CD-ROM encyclopedias (Groliers

Encyclopedia, etc.) they are great for teaching and for classroom

environments.

Available sources for databases

Among the sources for databases we can find the following:

1. Student-Created Databases: As mention on its name they arecreated by the Ss. They will do the research and enter their

findings into records that have been previously defined by Ss.

Teachers find these useful because they realize that their Ss will

focus the attention on the process of organizing structure to

information.

2. Teacher-Created Databases: Obviously these are the ones that

teachers create by themselves by using any of the available

database programs. They will decide which fields they need and

work with them.

3. Commercial Databases: These are created by a company and

teachers or schools can buy them for use at their classrooms or

schools. Usually they are createdina hypermedia or multimedia

format.

4. On-line Databases: These databases are accessed by the

Internet. They become more popular each day and some are even

free.

Learning with databases

Databases are great at promoting the development of process skills. Sills

orprocedures that are used to process information are necessary for problem

solving and developing the ability to make decisions. They include tasks such as

analyzing, observing, classifying, communicating, comparing and contrasting,

defining, describing, evaluating, generalizing, inferring, interpreting and

extrapolating.


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Using databases helps students from lower rank skills to more advanced

production skills. They will eventually become accustomed to using computers

and become comfortable with the database tools. Teachers can use them as

meta-cognition guides and they work perfectly in small groups because they help

group members challenge one anothers thinking, clarify tasks and develop

more accurate generalizations.

Teaching with databasesThere are three basic stages for learning with databases: learning about

the tools, learning with the tool, and applying the tool to new tasks. These three

stages are necessary and must be presented to Ss in a logical order. They

should be able to master one before they can continue to the next.

Once Ss have understood the organization and function of database

software, they can move to the second level of application. The emphasis

changes from the mechanics of the software to the research required to locate

data to be entered into a database.

It is vital that Ss understand the process and usage to be able to become

proactive with the tool and start developing on their own.

The goal is basically to:

Help Ss manipulate database files.

Change existing database information by inserting and deleting

fields or sorting information on their own.

Search for information and be able to print it.

Merge a dataset file with a word processing document to

accomplish a task such as printing merged documents.


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Database

programs

Learning

about the

tool

Learning

from the

tool

Application used to

organize information.

They can be done,

downloaded or boughtto fit

personal/particular

needs.


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Conclusions

Databases are useful in normal day to day life situations, they are

becoming more popular and necessary each day and we need to develop in our

Ss the ability to work with them and naturally get to know about them. This of

course, can only be achieved if we ourselves investigate, learn and apply them

first.

It is our duty as teachers to see that our Ss become competent in a world

that requires technological capacities and abilities developed in a variety ofcontexts.

Learning

with the

tool


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Summary Chapter 5 Ana Lucia Perez