Chapter 1 · Introduction to Information Processing
Hours: 3 · Difficulty: ★☆☆☆☆ · Type: Conceptual
This chapter gives you the mental model every other module assumes: what an information system is made of, what it does, and how raw data turns into useful information.
Why this chapter is short but important
Many students dismiss this chapter because there is "no maths". That is exactly why it appears almost every year in Paper 1 — the HKEAA can ask short, easy multiple-choice questions on it and most candidates trip up because they revised too quickly.
Chapter contents
| # | Topic | Approx. study time |
|---|---|---|
| 1.1 | What is an information system | 30 min |
| 1.2 | Data vs information | 30 min |
| 1.3 | Information processes | 45 min |
| 1.4 | The Information Age & literacy | 45 min |
Learning outcomes (from the C&A Guide)
After finishing this chapter you should be able to:
- Identify and examine the components of an information system.
- Distinguish between various information processes.
- Realise the difference between data and information.
- Identify different types of data: text, number, image, audio, video.
- Define the Information Age and discuss the importance of information literacy.
How to know you have mastered this chapter
Try answering, in one sentence each:
- Name the five components of an information system.
- List the seven information processes.
- Give a real-life example where data becomes information.
- State two characteristics of the Information Age.
- Explain why information literacy matters in a knowledge-based society.
If any of those took you more than 30 seconds, re-read the relevant sub-topic.
➡️ Start with: 1.1 What is an information system