Salam Anak IT.
First of all, sapa yang tau what is database angkat tangan. *manarupung dari ujung pisuk ke pisuk cari tangan*
Database atau lebih dikenali dengan "Pangkalan Data" adalah suatu tempat untuk menyimpan data yang berupa structured mahupun unstructured. Structured is any data that is visible or dapan-dapan mata nya urg kitani which has value or even meaning as example 19/Jan/2010 or as simple as "Cucur Pisang", while unstructured is usually bukan alphanumeric or printed data but more into something that we "interact" with our hearing, looking, smelling? as example sound wave, video, image, map etc. Most of the time it is related with multimedia.
Back to database, the simplest example of database is contact information in our handphone, or even contacts in instant messanging or even contacts in social application such as friendster, imeem, hi5, BRUNEI.FM! and many others. (facebook na kana mention kah? hahaha). Contacts on our phone for instance, it stores individual's information such as Name, Phone Number, Email dan yang sewaktu dengannya. That is the BASE where we put DATA and so it is called DATABASE.
"Tapinya... Data ani apa? Inda sama dengan information kah?" Yes INDA SAMA... Data is raw facts while information is processed data.
Example, if I give you 110110, do you really understand what I was giving?... "Na sure... Can be a binary?" hehe yes it is a binary but what if I put it as 11-01-10, how is it now? "That's a date! hahaha" exactly... So information is when you know what the data represents while data itself can be general value... Then... Who can tell me a single word "Brunei" is either a data or an information since everyone knows its a country? "adui practical lesson kah ne?"
Next, SOME operations that can be done with database:
As I said, database is where you keep the data. But it does not "process" the data itself. "Tapinya MS Access atue process the data yang kana simpan dalam file atue jua..." That is what you learn at school as Introduction to Database (even MS Excel can be categorised as database) but you have a good point there. This is because you only see your database been processed on a place (window) where you process the data which is known as FORM. I believe that you have learnt on how to do report as well and know how query works. The actual scenario is that you have database (where you keep your data) and front-end application seperately. Front-end is an application with graphical user interface to process the data INSIDE the database. If rajin, do a research on "back-end" application as well.
So hopefully by now you understand what does it mean by database and how it affects our everyday life. Imagine you need to call your uncle or any important person for emergency case but your phone DOESN'T have contacts database feature? *unless if you memorise all your contacts' numbers*. For a secondary student like you (and this goes to other secondary students out there as well) I recommend you to learn basics of PHP with mySQL. Click here for a start and learn things that is not included in your syllabus. Be an "advanced" student with advanced knowledge ;) As your big brother/sister *echewah* we want you to realise how important the database is and the value it has. Who knows one day you will be an Information System Specialist or even System Analysist. Sekian.