Activity aim: To get students to understand and be able to differentiate between the domains of database, data, database management systems; to understand the professional roles and functions of database developer, data administrator, database administrator, data modeler, database architect, database application developer, technical writer, tester, application dba
Materials: Printed worksheets
Time estimated: 20 minutes
Prep for teacher: set up worksheets.Break up students into about 8 groups of 6.
Note: designed for a class of >40 students.
Activity description:
Prior to the class, the instructor will prepare enough copies of the worksheet described below so that each group has one.
At the start of the activity, the instructor displays on the projector screen the worksheet with the table, where domains, roles, and functions are scrambled.
Students will be asked to consider the names and their definitions, and sketch for themselves how they would map them to one another. (5 minutes)
Next, students will be paired off with persons next and behind them, so the 3 rows of pairs are formed, and asked to discuss their solution with the partners. The worksheets are given to every group of 6 to record the answers. This discussion will last another 5 minutes.
After the discussion, instructor turns back to the projector and asks to volunteer the solution to the first set of definitions.
Starting with group 1, ask the question. When the answer is given, ask group 2 if they agree, ask to provide explanation and so on.
Continue with other questions and other groups.
As the discussion is going on, and correct mappings are revealed, keep updating the worksheet document, so everyone can see the correct answers on the projector as they are being given. Eventually all correct mappings are displayed. This discussion lasts 10 minutes.
This activity was developed by Paulina Vizgan as part of the Baruch College Center for Teaching and Learning Summer Seminar on Active Learning.
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