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Input & Output
Input & Output
Nau mai, haere mai ki te whārangi "Input & Output"! This page will explore how we send information to digital devices and how they give information back to us. It's all about communication!
Learning Objectives / Whāinga Ako
Learning Objectives / Whāinga Ako
Supports DDDO Progress Outcomes 1, 2; CT Progress Outcomes 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Supports DDDO Progress Outcomes 1, 2; CT Progress Outcomes 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Define what "input" and "output" mean in digital technologies.
Identify various input devices and their functions.
Identify various output devices and their functions.
Explain the basic "Input → Process → Output" cycle (DDDO PO2).
Getting Started / Whakataki (Prior Knowledge Required)
Getting Started / Whakataki (Prior Knowledge Required)
To get the most out of learning about Input & Output, it's essential to have a clear understanding of:
Digital Devices: Can you identify common digital tools and objects around you? (Link to Digital Devices page)
Quick Check: Can you name at least three different digital devices? If not, please review the 'Digital Devices' page first!
What are Input and Output?
What are Input and Output?
Every digital device needs to get information (or instructions) to do its job, and it needs a way to give us back the results. This is where Input (tāuru) and Output (putanga) come in.
Input: This is any data or instruction that we send into a digital device. It's how we tell the device what to do, or give it information to work with. Think of it as feeding information in.
Output: This is any data or information that a digital device sends out to us (or to another device). It's how the device shows us the results of its processing, or performs a task for us. Think of it as information coming out.
Together, input and output are two crucial parts of the Input → Process → Output cycle that all digital devices use to function.
How It Works / Me Pēhea te Mahi
How It Works / Me Pēhea te Mahi
The needs of the At a very basic level, every digital device does three things:
Takes Input: It receives information or instructions from somewhere (like a tap on a screen, a button press, a voice command, or data from a sensor).
Processes Data: It uses its internal components (like a CPU) to work with that information, performing calculations or following instructions. This is where the binary language comes in.
Produces Output: It sends out information or performs an action (like displaying an image on a screen, playing a sound, vibrating, or turning a light on).
This simple Input → Process → Output cycle is what almost all digital devices do!
Examples of Input & Output Devices:
Device Category: Computers
Input Devices: Keyboard, Mouse, Microphone, Webcam, Touchpad
Output Devices: Monitor/Screen, Speakers, Printer
Device Category: Phones/Tablets
Input Devices: Touchscreen, Microphone, Camera, Gyroscope (motion)
Output Devices: Screen, Speakers, Vibrating motor
Device Category: Smart Devices
Input Devices: Voice sensor, Temperature sensor, Motion sensor
Output Devices: Lights, Alarm, Motor (e.g., in a robot vacuum)
Device Category: Gaming
Input Devices: Controller, Joystick, Motion sensor (e.g., Wii)
Output Devices: Screen, Speakers, Controller rumble (force feedback)
How It Works / Me Pēhea te Mahi
How It Works / Me Pēhea te Mahi
The Input → Process → Output cycle is the fundamental way digital devices operate and interact with their users and the world.
Input: An end-user (or another device/sensor) provides data or instructions.
Example: You type a message on your phone's keyboard.
Process: The digital device's internal components (like its CPU) receive and work with that input. They perform calculations, follow instructions, or manipulate the data.
Example: Your phone's processor understands the letters you typed and prepares them for display.
Output: The device presents the results of its processing back to the end-user or performs an action.
Example: The message appears on your phone's screen.
This cycle happens incredibly fast, often many times per second, making digital devices feel seamless to use.
Activities / Ngā Mahi
Activities / Ngā Mahi
Activity 1: Device Breakdown
Task: Choose three different digital devices that you use or see regularly (e.g., a gaming console, a calculator, or a washing machine with a digital display).
Activity: For each device, identify:
At least two ways you provide input to it.
At least two ways it provides output back to you.
Evidence: Create a Google Doc or Google Slide with a table listing your three devices, their inputs, and their outputs.
Activity 2: The Human Robot
Task: This is an unplugged activity! With a partner (or imagine one), pretend one person is a "robot" that can only follow very precise instructions.
Activity:
Person A (Input Provider): Write down a sequence of simple instructions for the "robot" to do something common (e.g., make a peanut butter sandwich, draw a simple shape, walk to the door). Be very specific!
Person B (Robot & Output): Read Person A's instructions exactly as written. If an instruction is unclear or causes a problem, the "robot" should stop and show the error.
Evidence: In a Google Doc, write down the instructions you created. Then, reflect on the experience: What was difficult about giving inputs? What made the "robot's" output clear or unclear?
Assessment / Te Aromatawai
Assessment / Te Aromatawai
Check your understanding of digital devices.
Check your understanding of Input & Output.
Multiple Choice: Which of the following is an input device for a laptop computer?
a) Speaker
b) Printer
c) Keyboard
d) Screen
Short Answer: Describe one way a smartphone takes input and one way it provides output.
Scenario: You are using a GPS device in a car. When you type in a destination, the device tells you which turn to make using a voice.
What is the input you provide?
What is the output from the GPS device?
Key Takeaways / Mātauranga
Key Takeaways / Mātauranga
Input is information sent into a digital device.
Output is information sent out from a digital device.
Digital devices operate using an Input → Process → Output cycle.
Various devices exist to help us provide input and receive output from digital technologies.
What's Next?
What's Next?
Now that you understand how digital devices communicate, you're ready to explore concepts that build directly on this fundamental idea:
End-User: How does understanding the user's interaction (input/output) help us design better technology for them?
User Interface (UI): How are inputs and outputs designed to be easy and enjoyable for users?
Binary: The fundamental language underlying all input and output information.
Continue your journey by clicking on the links to these exciting topics!
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