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      Lesson details

      Learning outcome

      I can describe data science and explain how data is used to make decisions.

      Key learning points

      1. Data science is used to make smarter decisions.
      2. Data scientists analyse data to find patterns and discover useful information.
      3. Data can be cleaned and organised to make it more useful.
      4. Data can be biased if it doesn’t represent everyone fairly.

      Keywords

      • Analyse - to look at something carefully to understand it better

      • Data pattern - a recurring trend, relationship, or structure found within a set of data

      • Data cleaning - the process of detecting and correcting, or removing, corrupt or inaccurate data from a data set

      • Data bias - when data is unfair or unbalanced, which can lead to wrong or unfair results

      Common misconception

      Data science is just about collecting loads of data.

      Data science isn’t just about gathering data, it’s about understanding data and using it to make decisions or discoveries.

      Teacher tip

      Use real-world relatable examples with learners. Ask them to consider how managers decide on which players to choose for their favourite sports team or how a streaming service knows what shows to recommend.

      Licence

      This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0
      except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions
      (Collection 2).

      Lesson video

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      Prior knowledge starter quiz

      6 Questions

      Q1.
      What do we call an electronic component that carries out a logical operation?

      Correct Answer: Logic gate

      Q2.
      What is the output of an OR gate if at least one input is true?

      Correct answer: true
      false
      it cannot be decided
      zero

      Q3.
      Which logic gate gives a true output only if both inputs are true?

      OR
      NOT
      Correct answer: AND

      Q4.
      What is the word for a value that can only be true or false?

      Correct Answer: Boolean

      Q5.
      What do we call the chart that shows every possible combination of inputs and outputs for a logic rule?

      scoreboard
      data sheet
      binary chart
      Correct answer: truth table

      Q6.
      Put these actions in order for completing a truth table for an OR gate:

      1 - write all possible input combinations
      2 - use the OR rule to decide each output
      3 - fill in the output column

      6 Questions

      Q1.
      What is the main purpose of data science?

      to collect as much data as possible
      to draw pictures
      to create games
      Correct answer: to make smarter decisions using data

      Q2.
      What does it mean to analyse data?

      Correct answer: to look at data carefully to find patterns and useful information
      to ignore the data
      to delete all the data
      to choose random numbers

      Q3.
      What is data cleaning?

      making the data colourful
      throwing away all the data
      Correct answer: fixing or removing mistakes in data
      sorting data by colour

      Q4.
      Put these steps in order for using data in a science project:

      1 - collect data
      2 - clean and organise data
      3 - analyse data to find patterns
      4 - use data to make decisions

      Q5.
      What do we call a recurring trend or structure found in data?

      Correct Answer: data pattern, pattern

      Q6.
      Match each keyword to its meaning:

      Correct Answer:analyse,to look at something carefully to understand it

      to look at something carefully to understand it

      Correct Answer:data pattern,a recurring trend or structure in data

      a recurring trend or structure in data

      Correct Answer:data cleaning,fixing or removing mistakes in data

      fixing or removing mistakes in data

      Correct Answer:data bias,when data is unfair or unbalanced

      when data is unfair or unbalanced


      To help you plan your 8 computing lesson on: Data science, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...