QUESTION BANK, BUT GOOD.

About the Digital Society Content

3.1 Data

Prescribed enduring understandings

  • There are many types, uses and ways of representing data.
  • Big data and data analytics involve extracting and processing useful information in ways that are often impossible for humans.
  • There are significant opportunities and dilemmas associated with data in digital society.

Prescribed areas for inquiry and supporting details

  • 3.1A: Data as distinct from information, knowledge and wisdom
    • Data, information, knowledge and wisdom (DIKW) pyramid
  • 3.1B: Types of data
    • Quantitative and qualitative
    • Cultural, financial, geographical, medical, meteorological, transport, scientific, statistical
    • Metadata
  • 3.1C: Uses of data
    • Identify trends, patterns, connections and relationships between different items
    • Collect and organize measurable facts about people and communities
  • 3.1D: Data life cycle
    • Create/collect/extract, store, process, analyse, access, preserve, reuse
  • 3.1E: Ways to collect and organize data
    • Primary and secondary data collection
    • Databases organize and structure collections of data so that they are accessible, manageable and capable of being updated.
    • Data classifications and relationships
  • 3.1F: Ways of representing data
    • Charts, tables, reports, infographics, visualizations
  • 3.1G: Data security
    • Encryption, data masking, data erasure
    • Blockchain
  • 3.1H: Characteristics and uses of big data and data analytics
    • Characteristics: Volume, variety, velocity, veracity
    • Uses: Predictive analysis, modelling, understanding past, current and future human behaviour
  • 3.1I: Data dilemmas
    • Data bias, reliability and integrity
    • Control, ownership and access to data
    • Data privacy, anonymity and surveillance, personally identifiable information

3.2 Algorithms

Prescribed enduring understandings

  • Algorithms are defined sequential steps or instructions to solve a specific problem or perform a task.
  • The effectiveness of an algorithm is often evaluated according to its efficiency.
  • The use of algorithms poses significant opportunities and dilemmas in digital society.

Prescribed areas for inquiry and supporting details

  • 3.2A: Characteristics of an algorithm
    • Unambiguous, finite, well-defined inputs and outputs, feasible
  • 3.2B: Components of an algorithm
    • Instructions, variables, conditionals, loops
  • 3.2C: Ways of representing algorithms
    • Natural language, flow chart, code, programming languages
  • 3.2D: Uses of algorithms
    • Sorting, searching, filtering, prioritizing, classifying, associating, counting
    • Programming, software development and implementation
    • Machine learning, neural networks and in the creation of other algorithms
  • 3.2E: Algorithmic dilemmas
    • Algorithmic bias and fairness
    • Algorithmic accountability and transparency, black box algorithms
    • Erosion and/or loss of human judgment

3.3 Computers

Prescribed enduring understandings

  • A computer is a machine that automatically executes sets of instructions to perform specific tasks.
  • Computers have evolved over time and are increasingly ubiquitous in the everyday life of people and communities.

Prescribed areas for inquiry and supporting details

  • 3.3A: Types of computers
    • Mainframe
    • Server
    • Personal computer
    • Tablet
    • Smart/mobile device
    • Wearable computers and devices
  • 3.3B: Components of a computer
    • Hardware: Motherboard, central processing unit, memory, storage, graphics and sound components, power supply, input and output devices, sensors
    • Interfaces: User interfaces, such as graphic and haptic
    • Software:
      • Operating system software
      • Software applications, apps
      • Malicious software
  • 3.3C: Uses and forms of computer coding
    • Computer coding and programming uses specific languages and rules to communicate instructions to computers.
  • 3.3D: Evolution of computing
    • Generations in computing, for example, first to fifth generations of computing
    • Moore’s law
    • Emerging areas of computing, such as quantum computing
  • Displacement of humans in multiple contexts and roles

3.4 Networks and the Internet

Prescribed enduring understandings

  • Networks connect computers, people and communities allowing data and information to be created, accessed and shared in a distributed manner.
  • Networks and the internet are defining features of digital society that have evolved over time.
  • Networks and the internet involve significant opportunities and dilemmas for life in digital society.

Prescribed areas for inquiry and supporting details

  • 3.4A: Types of computing networks
    • Wired, wireless, cloud
    • Personal area network (PAN), local area network (LAN), metropolitan area network (MAN), wide area network (WAN)
    • Client-server, peer-2-peer (P2P)
  • 3.4B: Components of computing networks
    • Client, server, modem, router, switch, hub, channels, network interface
  • 3.4C: Characteristics of computing networks
    • Standards and protocols: Interoperability, domain names, addresses
    • Security: Identification, authentication, encryption, firewall, proxy server, virtual private network (VPN), security layers
    • Capacity: Bandwidth, data compression, net neutrality
    • Infrastructure: Internet backbone
  • 3.4D: Computing network providers and services
    • Providers: Internet service provider
    • Services: Chat, texting, email, file sharing, VOIP, online messaging, hosting, video conferencing
  • 3.4E: The world wide web
    • As distinct from the internet
    • URL, HTTP, browser
    • The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C)
  • 3.4F: Evolution of the internet and the web
    • Innovators and innovations in the early development of the internet and web
    • Rise of online social media platforms
    • Internet of things and ubiquitous networking
  • 3.4G: Internet dilemmas
    • Privacy, anonymity and surveillance, the right to be forgotten, spyware, identity theft
    • Cybercrime, hacking, viruses, spam, social engineering, ransomware, denial of service, dark web, trolling

3.5 Media

Prescribed enduring understandings

  • Digital media are defined by the convergence of computing, communication and content.
  • Digital media are created and distributed through multiple channels and platforms.
  • Digital media are associated with significant opportunities and dilemmas in digital society.

Prescribed areas for inquiry and supporting details

  • 3.5A: Types of digital media
    • Text, images, audio, animations, video, web pages
    • Gaming and e-sports
    • Blogs, vlogs, podcasts, vodcasting and live streaming, hashtags, memes, wikis, streaming media
    • User-generated content
    • Synthetic digital media, such as artificial intelligence (AI)-generated media and deepfakes
  • 3.5B: Characteristics of digital media
    • Rapid sharing, efficient storage, interactive, linear and non-linear content, convergence (of media forms and layers)
  • 3.5C: Immersive digital media
    • Augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), mixed reality (MR) and X reality (XR) technologies
  • 3.5D: Digital media dilemmas
    • Addiction and other psychological concerns
    • Impact on journalism, for example, fragmentation and consolidation in the media industry
    • Media authenticity, sourcing and deepfakes
    • Ownership, copyright, copyleft, Creative Commons, open source, remix culture
    • Media obsolescence and digital preservation
    • Censorship, content filters, moral panics, decency standards, offensive speech, objectionable content

3.6 Artificial Intelligence

Prescribed enduring understandings

  • Artificial intelligence (AI) involves agents, devices or systems that adapt to perform tasks (or appear to do so) that once required the cognitive and creative processes of human beings.
  • There are several types of existing, emerging or proposed AI. These categories frequently overlap or are contested.
  • AI has evolved over time and introduces significant opportunities and dilemmas in digital society.

Prescribed areas for inquiry and supporting details

  • 3.6A: Types of AI: Strong, full, general, weak, narrow, domain-specified
    • The Turing test
  • 3.6B: Types and uses of machine learning
    • Types: Supervised, unsupervised, reinforcement learning, deep learning
    • Uses: Pattern recognition, facial and speech recognition, image analysis, natural language processing
  • 3.6C: Uses of artificial neural networks
    • Learn and model complex and non-linear relationships, generalize from initial inputs
  • 3.6D: Evolution of AI
    • AI in science fiction and philosophy
    • Cybernetics
    • AI winters
    • The singularity and the multiplicity
  • 3.6E: AI dilemmas
    • Fairness and bias in design and use
    • Accountability in design and use
    • Transparency in design and use
    • Uneven and underdeveloped laws, regulations and governance
    • Automation and displacement of humans in multiple contexts and roles

3.7 Robots and Autonomous Technologies

Prescribed enduring understandings

  • Robots and autonomous technologies demonstrate a capacity to sense, think and/or act with some degree of independence.
  • Robots and autonomous technologies have evolved over time and are increasingly ubiquitous, pervasive and woven into the everyday lives of people and communities.
  • Robots and autonomous technologies introduce significant opportunities and dilemmas in digital society.

Prescribed areas for inquiry and supporting details

  • 3.7A: Types of robots and autonomous technologies
    • Robots: Industrial and productivity robots, service robots, social robots
    • Autonomous technologies: Internet of things, autonomous vehicles, drones, virtual assistants
  • 3.7B: Characteristics of robots and autonomous technologies
    • Sensory inputs for spatial, environmental and operational awareness
    • The ability to logically reason with inputs, often using machine vision and/or machine learning
    • The ability to interact and move in physical environments, sometimes remotely
    • The demonstration of some degree of autonomy
  • 3.7C: Evolution of robots and autonomous technologies
    • Early forms of robots and autonomous technology
    • Robots in science fiction and philosophy
    • Use in industry and manufacturing
    • Expanding interactions with human users
    • Machine consciousness, cognitive robotics and robot rights
  • 3.7D: Robots and autonomous technology dilemmas
    • Anthropomorphism and the uncanny valley
    • Complexity of human and environmental interactions
    • Uneven and underdeveloped laws, regulations and governance
    • Displacement of humans in multiple contexts and roles