Data, Information, Knowledge, and Wisdom
- Data, information, knowledge, and wisdom are separate terms with different definitions, that are commonly confused with each other.
- We can think of each of these as a subset of the next.
Definition
Data
Raw, unprocessed facts that lack context or meaning.
Examples of data:
- Raw test scores and numbers
- Individual frames of a video
Definition
Information
Processed data that is organized and structured to provide context and meaning.
Examples of information:
- Average test scores of students that may be statistically analyzed
- A full video recording
Definition
Knowledge
The application of information to solve problems or make decisions.
Examples of knowledge:
- Statistical analyses of test scores to track student progress
- Investigating faces on a video to analyze an event
Definition
Wisdom
The judicious application of knowledge to make ethical and effective decisions.
Examples of wisdom:
- Devising new educational strategies to adapt to common student mistakes analyzed in their test score analyses
- Writing reports on people present at an event based on a videoTypes of Data
Quantitative and Qualitative
Quantitative
- Data that is numerical and can be measured or counted.
- Examples: temperature, height, weight, sales figures.
Qualitative
- Data that is descriptive and cannot be measured numerically.
- Examples: customer feedback, interview transcripts, images.
