ITC Lesson 1 Notes | Data, Information, Knowledge

Lesson overview

From raw data to useful knowledge

Imagine you are tracking your grades this semester. In your notebook you have the numbers 18, 25, 9, and 10 written in a line. No labels. No subjects. No descriptions. On their own, those values do not really tell you anything. They are just raw values with no meaning.

That is what we call data. Data is any collection of raw facts and figures. It can be numbers, words, images, sensor readings, click logs, or survey responses. The key idea is that data exists, but by itself it does not yet answer any question.

Example grade record

Now look at the same values placed into a simple grade table.

Activity	Score	Maximum	Percentage
Quiz 1	18	20	90%
Quiz 2	25	30	83%
Seatwork	9	10	90%
Project	10	10	100%
Average	overall quiz and classwork		90.75%

In the table, the same numbers now have labels and structure. You know what each score belongs to, how you performed, and how the activities compare. The data was not changed, but it was organized and presented clearly.

At this point you are no longer looking at random values. You are looking at information. Information is data that has been processed, organized, or structured so that it answers simple questions like What happened?. Teachers, managers, and computer systems create information when they format, summarize, calculate, and present data in a useful way through tables, charts, or reports.

From information to knowledge

If you keep recording your quiz and project scores over several weeks, you might notice a pattern. Maybe your project scores are always high, while your quiz scores drop whenever there is a strict time limit. That observation does not come from one line of numbers. It comes from looking at information over time and thinking about it.

That deeper understanding is knowledge. Knowledge is the result of taking information, connecting it with experience, and using it to make decisions. With that knowledge you might decide to practice more under time pressure, review specific topics, or ask your teacher for help.

In organizations, people use knowledge to answer questions like Why is this happening? and What should we do next?. Computer systems help by collecting and storing large amounts of data, turning them into information through processing and visualization, and then making that information easy to access.

Key flow to remember

Data is raw input, information is processed and organized output, and knowledge is human understanding built on that information.

Data → Information → Knowledge → Action

Lesson 1

Quick reviewer

Data vs Information vs Knowledge at a glance.

Click or tap this card to flip and see the key points.

Lesson 1 cheat sheet

Use these lines for quick review and short essay answers.

L1 · Reviewer

Data Raw, unprocessed facts with no context or meaning yet. Examples: numbers like 18, 25, 9, 10, names, dates, sensor readings.
Information Data that has been processed, organized, or labeled so it answers basic questions such as “What happened” or “When did it happen”. Example: a grade table showing Quiz 1 = 18 over 20, Quiz 2 = 25 over 30.
Knowledge Understanding and insight gained from analyzing information and connecting it with experience. Example: noticing that your quiz scores drop when the test is timed and deciding to practice under time pressure.
Flow to memorize Data → processed → Information → analyzed → Knowledge → used for Action.
One sentence definitions Data is raw facts. Information is processed data with context. Knowledge is interpreted information that supports decisions.
In my own words “Data is raw and unprocessed facts. Information is data that has been processed and given context. Knowledge is interpreted information that leads to understanding and better decisions.”
Why it matters in IT Databases store data, systems transform it into information, and people use knowledge to choose actions in business, education, and everyday life.