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1 Assignment: Learning from from Data

Code.org: Unit 5 Data → Lesson 1: Learning from Data

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Unit 5 Data → Lesson 1: Learning from Data

Extracting Information from Data

Data in general is made up of computer-readable information, it is information
collected about the physical world.
Information is the collection of facts and patterns extracted from data. (DAT-2.A.1).
Computers are used to collect, store, manipulate, and visualize data. This can be
done in with numbers, words, measurements, observations etc.

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Unit 5 Data → Lesson 1: Learning from Data

Let's take a look at the differences between Data and Information.

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Unit 5 Data → Lesson 1: Learning from Data

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Unit 5 Data → Lesson 1: Learning from Data

Data provides opportunities for identifying trends, making connections, and addressing
problems (DAT-2.A.2). This is true in almost every field. One or a few data points may
not be enough to create a coherent conclusion - one could be dealing with an outlier
and it's difficult to see trends. With a larger data set (often very large data sets which is
called big data) you can establish more comprehensive patterns.
Digitally processed data may show correlation between variables. A correlation found
in data does not necessarily indicate that a casual relationship exists. Additional
research is needed to understand the exact nature of the relationship. (DAT-2.A.2).
As the world gets bigger and more interconnected, a large amount of data becomes
accessible and needs to be tracked. As the data sets get larger and larger, computers
become a necessary tool to help us process it. They can process data faster and with
less error than humans. At larger scales, you may even need multiple computers or
parallel systems to process all the data involved. 5
Unit 5 Data → Lesson 1: Learning from Data

Often, a single source does not contain the data needed to draw a conclusion. It may
be necessary to combine data from a variety of sources to formulate a conclusion.
(DAT-2.A.4). This demand has even led to the creation of server farms, areas where
many large computers are housed to meet intense processing needs such as dealing
with big data sets. Server farms are often located in large data centers, but they can
also be stored in much smaller rooms as well.
When you're working with datasets in a system, you need to consider how scalable the
system is. Scalability is the ability of a resource to adapt as the scale of the data it
uses increases (or decreases). Although a scalable resource might require, for
example, more servers or access points, it won't have to change the basics of how it
operates. The more scalable a system is, the more data you can process and store
within it. In terms of data processing, you're only as good as the tools you have to work
with. The more powerful your computer is, the better the data processing you'll be able
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Unit 5 Data → Lesson 1: Learning from Data

Metadata is data about data. One of the ways to make processing data easier is through the
use of metadata. The piece of data may be an image, while the metadata may include the date of
creation or the file size of the image. (DAT-2.B.1).

For example, the cat is the main data, the details about the cat is considered the metadata.

It's like the packing label on a box in the mail or

the tags on a piece of clothing: it gives you
information about the item it's attached to.

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Unit 5 Data → Lesson 1: Learning from Data

For example, the metadata for a YouTube video could include the title, creator,
description, and tags for the video, as well as when it was uploaded and how large it
is.

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Unit 5 Data → Lesson 1: Learning from Data

If you change or delete the metadata, it doesn't affect the data itself. (DAT-2.B.2). For
example, if you change the description of a video, you don't affect the video itself.
Metadata is used to help in finding, organizing and managing information.
(DAT-2.B.3). It can be used to sort and group it. It can also provide additional
information to help you use your data more effectively.
For example, metadata that tells you when a video was uploaded or a post was made
can help you decide whether or not the information you're looking at is outdated.
Metadata can increase the effective use of data or data sets by providing additional
information. (DAT-2.B.4).
Metadata allows data to be structured and organized. (DAT-2.B.5).

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Unit 5 Data → Lesson 1: Learning from Data

Advantages of Metadata
● You never lose the data
● You can organize and find information
● Metadata can increase the effective use of data sets by providing additional
information
● Metadata allows data to be structured and organized

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Unit 5 Data → Lesson 1: Learning from Data

DO THIS: Answer the question by typing directly into the box below.

1. What type of data visualizations do you know of?

Common graphs, pie charts, bar graphs.
2. Why do we visualize data?
To provide an example.

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Unit 5 Data → Lesson 1: Learning from Data

DO THIS:
1. What do you notice?
Fast food had an increase of 40
percent even though employment
fell.
2. What do you wonder?
Maybe the addition of things such
as ordering kiosks reduced the
need for workers.
3. What might be going on in this
graph? Less jobs being available.
More reliance on parents.

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Unit 5 Data → Lesson 1: Learning from Data

Let's explore “What’s Going On in This Graph?” together!

Click this link:
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/10/learning/over-60-new-york-times-graphs-for-students-to-analyze.html
Click the image for the first graph of “Common injuries for boys among popular high school sports.”
Next click the arrow to the right to shuffle through the list of different graphs.

Discuss with your partner:

What can we do with this site?
● View different graphs (by topic or by
type)
● Look for patterns in the data
● Read about where the data comes
from

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Unit 5 Data → Lesson 1: Learning from Data

Do This: Answer the following by typing your answers below each question.
With a partner, look through the graphs. Try looking through both the “Graphs
Organized by Topic” and “Graphs Organized by Type” sections.
Pick a graph you are interested in using to tell a data story.
1. Define the what (facts) and why (opinions).
Nutritionists and common americans have the same opinion on healthy food.
Due to this there isn't really a need for nutritionists.
2. What does the data show? What do you notice?
It shows the relationship between food that common american people think
are healthy and nutritionists think are healthy
3. Why might that be the case? What do you wonder?
I wonder if restaurants have the same trend

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Unit 5 Data → Lesson 1: Learning from Data

DO THIS: Answer the question by typing directly into the box below.
4. What is the metadata for the chart you picked for your data story?

5. Use the Snipit Tool to provide a screenshot of the metadata for your chart. Identify the metadata
by circling or marking the metadata.

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Unit 5 Data → Lesson 1: Learning from Data

Correlation does not equal Causation

similarities, patterns this thing caused that thing

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Unit 5 Data → Lesson 1: Learning from Data

Correlation does not equal Causation

similarities, patterns this thing caused that thing

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Unit 5 Data → Lesson 1: Learning from Data

In this unit, we will be making charts to help answer questions:

● "I think this visualization tells me this…"

○ Something is more popular than something else
○ Something is more important than something else
○ Something has increased or decreased over time

● "... but I'm not sure because…"

○ I don't know exactly how the data was collected
○ This might tell me that a lower percentage of teenagers are working,
but it doesn't tell me why they are choosing that or what they are
doing instead
○ We need more data!

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Unit 5 Data → Lesson 1: Learning from Data

Metadata
data about data

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Unit 5 Data → Lesson 1: Learning from Data

DO THIS: Answer the question by typing directly into the box below.
Navigate to Level 4 → Open up Data Tab → Look for the metadata for a table.
Answer the questions:
1. What does this table contain? Cats and Dogs.
2. Where does the data come from? The data tab
3. What other useful information is found in the metadata?
Origin along with a image of the animal.

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Unit 5 Data → Lesson 1: Learning from Data

DO THIS: Answer the question by typing directly into the box below.
Navigate to Level 5 → What does the visualization actually show?
Select the correct answer and use the Snipit tool to paste your answer here:

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Unit 5 Data → Lesson 1: Learning from Data

DO THIS: Answer the question by circling the correct answer below.

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Unit 5 Data → Lesson 1: Learning from Data → Wrap Up

Takeaways:
When looking at visualizations, consider:
● What does the data show? - fact
● Why might that be the case? - opinion

Be careful when making assumptions about data:

● Correlation does not equal Causation

Metadata are data about data:

● It can be changed without impacting the primary data
● Used for finding, organizing, and managing information
● Increases effective use of data by providing extra information
● Allows data to be structured and organized
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