Information and big data

Academic Year 2024/2025 - Teacher: GIOVANNI GIUFFRIDA

Expected Learning Outcomes

In the first part we cover the database management systems from both a theoretical and a practical approach. We will cover all theoretical needs for understanding the technics to archive and manage Relational Databases. We will also cover a well known system for database management.

In the second part we discuss of Big Data, Artificial Intelligence and how the two fields interacts today with each other. The availability of huge amount of data today (Big Data) is fueling a revolution in Artificial Intelligence systems that get more and more present in our everyday life. We will study the principle of Big Data and Artificial Intelligence and we will investigate the principle of some inference algorithms. We will also delve into how such new technology impact our lives, both from a social and ethical standpoints.

Course Structure

Classroom lecture and group discussion.

Required Prerequisites

No particular prerequisites are required. However, some basic knowledge of computer science might help.

Attendance of Lessons

Attendance is strongly recommended; discussions and material not in the lecture materials will be discussed in class.

Detailed Course Content

    Historical background
    Information and information systems
    Concept of data and information
    Abstraction of data
    Relational organization of data
    Data querying
    Hints of Relational Algebra
    Database Management System
    Data mining and text mining
    Hints of data/text mining algorithms
    Big Data, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
    Big Data for the social sciences

Textbook Information

Slides provided by the teacher.

Articles suggested by the teacher.

Atzeni,Ceri,Paraboschi,Torlone, Basi di Dati,Modelli e linguaggi di interrogazione, terza edizione, McGraw-Hill 2002.

Albano-Ghelli-Orsini, Basi di Dati Relazionali e a Oggetti, Zanichelli, 1997

Ullman, Basi di Dati e Basi di Conoscenza, 1991

Machine Learning: The Art and Science of Algorithms That Make Sense of Data, Peter Flach, Cambridge University Press, 2015

Big data. Una rivoluzione che trasformerà il nostro modo di vivere e già minaccia la nostra libertà. Viktor Mayer-Schönberger, Kenneth N. Cukier, 2013

Intelligenza Artificiale e fenomeni sociali, Sergio Bedessi, Maggioli Editore, 2019

Learning Assessment

Learning Assessment Procedures

Written exam with multiple choice answers.

Examples of frequently asked questions and / or exercises

SELECTION can never return an empty set. T/F?

The relational model was invented by J. Watson in 1980. T/F?

A properly terminated transaction could leave the DB in an inconsistent state. T/F?

Degree Course in

Sociology of networks, information and innovation