School: Rui-Sui primary school
    Hualien, Taiwan, R.O.C.

9 students, ages 11-12 worked together to complete this CyberFair project on February 7, 2003. They have participated in CyberFair in the following year(s): 2003

Classes and Teachers: Chiu Chigh-feng,Chang HUI-tin,Liu Ming-ying,Hsiu Wen-jiang,Jiang Pei-shan

E-Mail contact:

Our School's Web Site: http://www.zshps.hlc.edu.tw

1. Description of Our Community

The community, which we meant, is a place of multiple cultured groups. Chi-Mei village in Rui-sui is one of Amis aboriginals who seldom still have class distinction. We wish to let everyone notice the beauty of Chi-Mei village by doing this research. Students are the ones who are charge of interviewing, introducing, and finishing the whole contents, so that they can know more clearly about this village that their homes are near.

2. Summary of Our Project

Chi-Mei translated from Kiwit language is a kind of fibrous bine, just like their character. That쳌fs why this village would name for it. Until now, they still celebrate their traditional activities in traditional way. They쳌fre so famous for their own music and dancing. Now, let쳌fs take adventure together.

3. Our Computer and Internet Access

A. Percentage of students using the Internet at home:more than 50%

B. Number of workstations with Internet access in the classroom:more than 6

C. Connection speed used in the classroom:dedicated connection

D. Number of years our classroom has been connected to the Internet:more than 6

E. Additional comments concerning your computer and/or Internet access (Optional):

Classrooms, offices and teachers¡¦ lounges each are offered computers, which can get onto the Internet. Besides, there are one computer classrooms for the students . In our school, we use ADSL to get onto the Internet, and it is quick and convenient whether to send out or download information. On the other hand, students can get onto the Internet at home, but the speed is quite lower.

4. Problems We Had To Overcome

(1) difficulties on technicality Most of us do not know how to use scanners and digital cameras; besides, we only know little about image processing and homepage. But luckily, Mr. Qiu, the chief of information management in our school, sets in training programs to teach us more useful technicality. On the other hand, without our instructors¡¦ direction, we can hardly solve all the difficulties. (2) difficulties on data-collecting As well as finding information on the Internet, the instructors also take us to the library of our school on Wednesdays. However, we do not think it is enough, therefore we have to experience Amiss living by ourselves. (3) time pressure In order not to affect our regular learning, we have to utilize every moment, for example, a break for ten minutes, in every Wednesday afternoon and holidays to type our report, to read and to discuss the information we have collected. especially when some our members have to take time participating the pipe contest. Though we do not have enough time gathering together do our research, each of us still try our best to complete what the instructors ask us to do. (4) mistakes of using computers :While making our homepage these are the problems that we often make lots of mistakes. So if we do not finish our work at school, we almost have to finish it at home. Meanwhile, we also try to catch up with our schedule through e-mail or on the phone.

5. Our Project Sound Bite

a.After this long journey of painstaking effort we finally complete this learning. And in the process of cooperation, we learn to undertake our own responsibilities, to overcome difficulties together, to help each other and to respect other¡¦s point of view. We are also grateful to our instructors for their help, because they put aside their business for a while in order to help us. Their devotion earns our respect, and they set up models for us to follow. Besides We find that learning from textbooks is not enough. With careful observation and inquiry, we will know that anything surrounding us or what is mentioned on the textbooks still leave much room for further study. And in the series of interviewing and exploring, we get to know that knowledge is infinite, that the further we study, the more we progress. .We need the help and direction of scholars and specialists. With their enthusiastic encouragement and in time help we can learn and grow firmly.

6. How did your activities and research for this CyberFair Project support standards, required coursework and curriculum standards?

(1). On curriculums: Nowadays, the purposes of our school teaching move forward to multiple directions, and knowledge that emphasizes the consciousness of community has integrated into many curriculums. In our textbooks they mentioned the Chi-Mei tribe, however, we do not think they help us understand them better, so we decide to broaden the content. As well as realizing the origin of Chi-Mei tribe, ceremonies and living tools, social class and meanings, we also learn to respect culture of different races and to pay more attention to them. (2). On daily life education: While studying our monograph, we truly understand the meaning of devotion and the importance of cooperation; after finishing our own work, if we still have time and energy, we give support to others. We not only make efforts to collect written papers and to share with each other, but also prepare well setting up the question we want to ask before the interview. We record the whole process of interviewing and then transformed them into written forms by turns. (3). On socialization education: With the decrease of the facial-tattooed senior citizens, we come to realize the importance of cultivation for tribes, which enables us to cherish our living environment. Teachers, parents and we students work together for the same purpose, and in this research all of us seek after the self-growth and self-learning.

1) What information tools & technologies did you used to complete your CyberFair project?

(1). Telephones: we use telephones to check things with our interviewers; besides, teachers and students also use telephones to discuss making homepage. (2). Computers and copy machines: we find which books we need on which bookshelves in the library via computers, and also use copy machines to copy the contexts that we need. (3). Digital cameras: we transmit the pictures taken by the digital cameras into computers. (4). Scanners and image processing software: photoimpact7.0, UMAX-scanner 2200 (5). Internet: we learn to use Internet to survey the information we need, also, we exchange our experiences via e-mail. (7). Dreamweaver MX of Chinese version: we learn to use Dreamweaver MX of Chinese version to make homepage, and to send up and download information.

2) In what ways did you act as "ambassadors" and spokespersons for your CyberFair project both on-line and in person.

Very few schools completed CyberFair projects in our area. At class of Computer Science we mentioned our project to several other teachers and many of them heard about this competition from us for the first time. We also told Chi-Mei tribe people about our project on the 11th of March 2002. Nobody there ever considered publishing on the WWW before as far as we know. The Cai chieftain of Chi-Mei tribe was very pleased that we chose to mention their traditional culture. They wanted to know if we could create more excellent pages on Amiss aboriginal culture as well . We were invited to have guided tours in the aboriginal tribe and we could see everything for ourselves and take pictures. Besides we will share the pages with Chi-Mei tribe and Chi-Mei primary school for culture-teaching material. After kowning more about Chi-Mei tribe by our pages,we hope everyone realizing the importance of aboriginal culture-reaerving.Let,s do something for them!

3) What has been the impact of your project on your community?

From our interviews we find out that most people have ever heard Chi-Mei tribe, nevertheless, not many people truly understand the aboriginal tribe„ŸChi-Mei tribe, its tradition and meaning. Not only the non-aborigines but also the youngsters of the Chi-Mei people do not completely realize the spirit and meaning of their own tration. From doing our research we come to realize that the government authorities and some private groups gradually experience the value of aboriginal culture, and they treat these aboriginal culture as national treasures. For the reason that not many people truly understand the aboriginal culture, so we decide to set up the web site hoping to make the spirit and meaning of aboriginal culture clear and distinct. While doing so, we earn lots of encouragement from our teachers, government officials and people of the community. They know we are eager to learn, therefore, they also do their best to offer us as much information as possible. We are grateful for their help and their encouragement.

4) How did your project involve other members of your community as helpers and volunteers?

(1). After we decide the topic of Chi-Mei tribe, we busy ourselves with collecting written information, and we go to the library of our school searching for some papers. Thanks to Miss Lin, who works in the library of ourschool, that we can obtain more abundant information. (2). We cherish that Qiu Zhi-feng, teachers of our school, offer us written information; that parents of the community, who is the head of our school, and teachers good at computer technology, advise us to make homepage. (3)During the proceeding of research, we obtain lots of help from parents of the community; we are grateful to Huang Jian-chen,and Cai xiu-xiong for their participation our interview. (4).Cai Fu-rong,a photographer press,provides lots of image data about Chi-Mei tribe.This help us to know more about Chi-Mei tribe ceremonies. (5) During the proceeding of research,Mr. Gao and Madamn Wu provide aboudant infortion about aboriginal wild herbs.

5) Discoveries, Lessons and Surprises (Optional)

(1). Lesson: We experienced frustrations and failures while making the homepage, however, the experience enables us to make our homepage better and approaching perfect. Practice makes perfect, and we will keep on growing if we really learn something from our shortcoming. (2). Discovery: Because of the research, we learn a lot about Chi-Mei tribe; from the research, I know how to make homepage, and this helps me complete this report successfully and this enriches my daily life; also from the adventure of Chi-Mei tribe we come to realize that as well as a nation can not exist without their traditional culture, a nation has right to maintain its precious and meaningful culture. Back of the aboriginal tradition exists so profound wisdom and extraordinary value that astonishes me. With the decrease of aboriginal tradition , we should try hard to protect and to broadcast the spirit of this tradition and culture. (3). Wonder: While discussing aboriginal tradition as particular culture in Taiwan, students of our group can not figure out why people do not pay attention to such important cultural heritage. Is that because we do not understand it? Therefore, we decide to research this topic to make it known; and now that Taiwan is not big enough, however she contains abundant cultural heritages.We belive it will never too be late to cherish and preserve cultural heritages.Let,s do it together now!