Chapter 1: Encoding and Compressing Complex Information

Big Questions

Are the ways in which digital information is encoded more laws of nature or man made?
What kinds of limitations does the binary encoding of information impose on what can be represented inside a computer
How accurately can human experience and perception be captured or reflected in digital information?

1.1 Creative development can be an essential process for creating computational artifacts.
1.3 Computing can extend traditional forms of human expression and experience.
2.1 A variety of abstractions built upon binary sequences can be used to represent all digital data.
3.3 There are trade offs when representing information as digital data.

What is the relationship between data, information and knowledge?
What are the best ways to find, see, and extract meaningful trends and patterns from raw data?
Where and how does human bias affect the collection, processing and interpretation of data?

1.3 Computing can extend traditional forms of human expression and experience.
3.1 People use computer programs to process information to gain insight and knowledge.
3.2 Computing facilitates exploration and the discovery of connections in information.
3.3 There are trade offs when representing information as digital data.
7.1 Computing enhances communication, interaction, and cognition.
7.3 Computing has a global affect - both beneficial and harmful - on people and society.