CHAPTER ONE DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1.     Your university wants to recruit high-quality high school students from your state.  Provide examples of (1) the data that your recruiters would gather in this process, (2) the information that your recruiters would process from these data, and (3) the types of knowledge that your recruiters would infer from this information.

2.     Can the terms data, information, and knowledge have different meanings for different people?  Support your answer with examples.

3.     Information technology makes it possible to “never be out of touch.”  Discuss the pros and cons of always being available to your employers and clients (regardless of where you are or what you are doing.)

4.     Robots have the positive impact of being able to relieve humans from working in dangerous conditions.  What are some negative impacts of robots in the workplace?

5.     Is it possible to endanger yourself by accessing too much medical information on the Web?  Why or why not?  Support your answer.

6.     Is the vast amount of medical information on the Web a good thing?  Answer from the standpoint of a patient and from the standpoint of a physician.

7.     Describe other potential impacts of IT on societies as a whole.