2.2.2+Databases+&+Spreadsheets

=2.2.2 Databases and Spreadsheets=

Students must study and evaluate the social and ethical issues involved in the use of databases and spreadsheets. These may include among others:
 * Social and ethical issues**
 * privacy of information in different cultures
 * rights of individuals with respect to the storage of personal data,
 * ethical issues related to the collection and use of personal data
 * ethical issues related to the selling of data stored in databases.

- Database
// Knowledge of technology // In order to study and evaluate the social and ethical issues involved in the use of databases, the student must have an understanding of related technological concepts. These may include the following. // Design and creation concepts // · Key terms - Field - Each discrete chunk of information in a database record. - Key Field - Sort and quickly retrieve information from database by choosing one or more fields to act as key. - Record - In a database, the information relating to one person, product, or event. - Search - Looking for a specific record. - Query - An information request. - Sort - Arrange records in alphabetic or numeric order based on values in one or more fields. - Database Management System - A program or system of programs that can manipulate data in a large collection of files (the database), cross-referencing between files as needed. - Mail Merge - A feature of a word processor or other program that enables it to merge names and addresses from a database mailing list into personalized form letters and mailings.  · Paper files versus electronic files  · Data redundancy and data integrity  · Updating data // Storage and access concepts // · Data transfer between a database and a spreadsheet · Search and the use of the Boolean operators (AND, OR and NOT) · Data mining/data matching // Presentation concepts // • Report generation • Special-purpose databases, for example, personal information managers, encyclopedias, library systems

**Summary of databas**
A database is an organized collection of related data. Database programs enable users to store, organize, retrieve, communicate, and manage large amounts of information quickly and efficiently. Each database is made up of tables, which are, in turn, collections of records, and each record is made up of fields containing text strings, numbers, and other chunks of information. Database programs enable users to view data in a variety of ways, sort records in any order, and print reports, mailing labels, and other custom printouts. A user can search for an individual record or select a group of records with a query. While most database programs are general-purpose tools that can be used to create custom databases for any purpose, some are special-purpose tools programmed to perform a particular set of tasks. Geographical information systems, for example, combine maps and demographic information with data tables to provide new ways to look at data. Personal information managers provide automated address books, appointment calendars, to-do lists, and notebooks for busy individuals. Many database programs are, technically speaking, file managers because they work with only one file at a time. Database-management systems (DBMSs) can work with several data sources at a time, cross-referencing information among files when appropriate. A DBMS can provide an efficient way to store and manage large quantities of information by eliminating the need for redundant information in different files. A well-designed database provides different views of the data to different classes of users so each user sees and manipulates only the information necessary for the job at hand. The trend today is clearly away from large, centralized databases accessible only to data processing staff. Instead, most organizations are moving toward a client/server approach that enables users to access data stored in servers throughout the organization’s network. While relational databases have been the norm for the past twenty years, a new focus on multimedia records and other complex data sets has sparked the development of object-oriented database systems. The accumulation of data by government agencies and businesses is a growing threat to our right to privacy. Massive amounts of information about private citizens are collected and exchanged for a variety of purposes. Today’s technology makes it easy to combine information from different databases, producing detailed profiles of individual citizens. Although there are many legitimate uses for these procedures, there’s also a great potential for abuse. It’s encouraging to reflect on the number of times that groups of citizens or their elected representatives have halted the deployment of systems that went too far.

[|Database Power Point]


 * Advantages** of databases are **reduced redundancy**, **integrated** **data** and **integrity**.

The way the database organizes data depends on the type, or model of database. There are three main database models - **hierarchical**, **network** and **relational**.

The power of databases is in the connection: **A relational system can relate data in one file to data in another file, allowing a user to tie together data from several files.**

There are two steps to creating a database file: 1. Designing the file structure 2. Entering the data

When a file structure is defined, many database programs require the user to identify the field types, field names and field widths. Field names are used to describe the data you want to use.

There are four commonly used types of fields: **character fields**, **numeric fields**, **data fields** and **logical fields.**

The field width determines the maximum number of letters, digits or symbols to be contained in the field. One or more key fields can be designated as a field on which a query to the database can be based.

Once a fild structure is deficed, it is presented to user as an input form so that data for each record may be entered.



- Spreadsheets
In order to study and evaluate the social and ethical issues involved in the use of ** spreadsheets **, the student must have an understanding of related technological concepts. These may include the following. Design and creation concepts • Key terms—cell, cell format (number, text, value, function, calculation, date, currency), row, column, label, macro, replicate, template, worksheet, “what if” questions, range, absolute and relative reference • Paper files versus electronic files • Reliability and integrity of data Storage and access concepts • Data transfer between a database and a spreadsheet Syllabus details Presentation concepts • Select, print and display area of a worksheet • Use of the appropriate graph or chart for the meaningful representation of information • Special-purpose spreadsheets, for example, inventory, budget