Unit xx. Data storage – I’m a data storage engineer

This unit is planned but development has not yet started. Our plans may change in the future as we continue to review our scheme of learning.

Unit description

The representation of text and images with character sets and bit mapping.

Unit career

I’m a data storage engineer

“As a data storage engineer, I handle the fundamentals of storing and compressing data. This includes working with character sets to efficiently store text and using compression techniques to optimize bitmap images. My goal is to ensure data is stored securely and accessed quickly.”

Key Question

All the activities in this unit enable students to answer the key question:

How do computers represent, store, and compress different types of data so it can be used efficiently?

Knowledge statements

This is achieved by students studying 4 “Learn-it” lessons, each of which focus on one knowledge statement:

1. Know how computers store text data using character sets.
   • E.g. ASCII and Unicode (UTF-8).
2. Know how computers store photographs using bit mapping.
3. Know why compression is used.
   • E.g. optimising storage space and data access speeds.
4. Know the different methods of compressing data and understand data must be uncompressed to be used.
   • E.g. zip & jpeg.

What is included in this unit?

• Teacher guide providing a detailed overview of the unit.
• 6 Lesson folders:
  • 4 “Learn-it” lessons with a teacher PowerPoint and student workbook.
  • 1 “Make-it” lesson with assessment materials for teachers and students.
  • 1 “Review-it” lesson with an end of topic MCQ test, assessment grid, peer assessment and self-reflection.
• Any additional resources and materials needed for the activities are provided in the lesson folders.
• 6 detailed lesson plans explaining how to teach the 3 lesson phases.
• Extension activities with model answers.
• 3 independent homework question sheets supported by 3 online videos hosted on Tella.