Lesson 1

Databases

What is a Database?
 What is and isn’t a
database file?
Database Not a Database

Book Filing Cabinet Catalogues Questionnaire

 What does a
database file do?
Define a database on your whiteboards.
Finished? Can you name 3 advantages of a database?

Let’s come up with a class definition...

Database:
An organised / structured set of data.
What is a Database?
 Learning Objective Success Criteria

 To understand the purpose  Level 4 - To be able to define

of a database file. the keywords: database, file,
record and field.
 To understand the key  To know what databases are

words: database, file, record used for.

and field.
 Level 5 - To be able to

 To understand the difference explain the differences

between a flat file and a
between a flat file and a relational database.
relational database.
Challenge Task: Level 6: To find examples of where a flat
file database and a relational database would be useful and
evaluate their suitability.
 What are the advantages of a
computerised database over a
paper based database?

Vs
Computerised Database Paper –Based Database

Easier to search and find what you’re looking for

Can’t lose it as you can make a back-up
Can make changes to it very easily

Finished? Can you name 3 disadvantages of a database?

 Amazon

Amazon has a database of all its customers.

What information do they hold about their

customers?
Billing Address
Name
Card Details Phone Number

E-mail address
Delivery Address
Previous Orders
Finished? What information do you think is the most important for Amazon to know?
 Amazon

Billing Address
Name
Card Details Phone Number

E-mail address
Delivery Address
Previous Orders
These are called FIELDs in a database.
They are one piece of information about the
customer
 Amazon

All the information (fields) that is about ONE

CUSTOMER is called a RECORD.
Name Delivery Billing Phone Email Card Previous
Address Address Number Address Details Orders
Martin 1 Carr 10 High St 0121 555 m.freema VISA Samsung
Freeman Lane 8888 [email protected] Telly
om

Just like a school has a RECORD about you (all

the information about you)
Just like the police have a record of all criminals
(with their personal info with crimes committed too)
 Records and Fields

This is a record...

Name Delivery Billing Phone Email Card Previous

Address Address Number Address Details Orders
Martin 1 Carr 10 High St 0121 555 m.freema VISA Samsung
Freeman Lane 8888 [email protected] Telly
om

It is made up of fields...

 Review

What kind of fields would the school hold on you?

What kind of fields would the police hold on

criminals?

What kind of fields would a database of games

have?

Define a record
Difference between Flat File and
Relational
There are 2 types of Databases:
Flat File Database
• One big table
Table
Fields

Relational Database
• Many tables linked together
Table Table Table
Fields Fields Fields
 Vets Flat File Database
Field Name Data Type
Customer_ID AutoNumber
Title Text Take a database that a
Surname Text
vet might use.
Street Text
Town Text
Every time the pet has
County Text
Phone_Number Text an appointment all of
Pets_Name Text this information needs
Type Text to be typed in.
DOB Date/Time
Medical_Conditions Text
Date_of_Appointment Date/Time
Time_of_Appointment Date/Time
Symptoms Text
Treatment Text
 Vets Flat File Database
Field Name Data Type
Customer_ID AutoNumber
Title Text What might be the
Surname Text
problems with this?
Street Text
 All the information isn’t
Town Text
needed every time!
County Text
 Duplicating data held in
Phone_Number Text
Pets_Name Text
the database
Type Text
 Takes too much time!
DOB Date/Time  Can make mistakes
Medical_Conditions Text (spell the pets name
Date_of_Appointment Date/Time wrong on one occasion)
Time_of_Appointment Date/Time
Symptoms Text
Treatment Text
 Vets Flat File Database
Field Name Data Type
Customer_ID AutoNumber
Title Text How can we solve this
Surname Text
issue?
Street Text  Are there any other ways we
Town Text can organise this data?
County Text
Phone_Number Text  Hint: In our example on the left,
Pets_Name Text there is data about:
Type Text  the owner

DOB Date/Time  i.e. name, address, phone

Medical_Conditions Text number

 the pet
Date_of_Appointment Date/Time
 name, type of animal, date
Time_of_Appointment Date/Time
of birth
Symptoms Text  appointments
Treatment Text
 Vets Flat File Database
Field Name Data Type
Customer_ID AutoNumber
Title Text In our example on the
Surname Text
left, there is data about:
Street Text
 the owner
Town Text
 i.e. name, address,
County Text
phone number
Phone_Number Text
 the pet
Pets_Name Text
 name, type of animal,
Type Text date of birth
DOB Date/Time  appointments
Medical_Conditions Text
Date_of_Appointment Date/Time
Time_of_Appointment Date/Time
Symptoms Text
Treatment Text
 Vets Relational Database

Customer Table
Customer_ID
Appointment Table
Title
Appointment_ID
Surname
Customer_ID Pet Table
Street
Pet_ID Pet_ID
Town
Date_of_Appointment Pets_Name
County
Time_of_Appointment Type
Phone_Number
Symptoms DOB
Treatment Medical_Conditions

What are the advantages of this?

 Vets Relational Database

Data isn’t entered twice or more in the database. (no data

duplication)

When customers book an appointment this is done in the

appointment table and the relevant Customer_ID and Pet_ID
are chosen.

This reduces the data stored, making the database smaller

in size.

Reduces mistakes as information doesn’t need to be typed

in again.
 Database Task

Create a document in either:

PowerPoint
Leaflet in Word/Publisher
Use Quizlet.com to create some revision cards (you will need to create an
account)

This document is a revision tool for you for your assessment at the
end.

You need to include:

What is a database?
What is a field and a record?
What is the difference between a flat file and a relational database?
What are the advantages of a relational database?
 Extension Task

To get level 6:

Find examples of where others have used:

A flat file database?
A relational database?

Explain in detail how the ‘type’ of database would

be suitable in the example and why.

Add this to your document too.

 What’s wrong here? Why?

A student, Paul, has written the following in his databases

assessment, can you help him to explain what he’s done wrong?

Relational databases are better than flat file databases because they use
only one table.

Relational databases are bigger than flat file databases.

Mistakes are made all the time in relational databases as you have to
type in the data again and again.

Sometimes data is written twice or more in a relational database.

 Learning Journals

Fill in your learning journals detailing what you’ve

done so far.

What have you learnt today?

Is there anything that you want to find out over

the next few lessons?
 HW – it’s learning

Complete the “What is a database?” HW on it’s

learning.

Do you know your log-in?

If not, see your teacher / ICT Technicians.