School: Hung Lung Elementary School
    Dajia Jen, Taichung county, Taiwan

12 students, ages 10-12 worked together to complete this CyberFair project on February 9, 2003. They have participated in CyberFair in the following year(s): Never

Classes and Teachers: Mr. Lin Hsin Chuan, Mr. Lin Tsai Ying and Mrs. Wang Mei Chung

E-Mail contact:

Our School's Web Site: http://www.hlps.tcc.edu.tw/

1. Description of Our Community

“DaJia” is a very unspoiled agricultural town. It becomes famous out of the belief of Ma Tzu in Jen Lan Temple. Da Jia is located in the west-northern corner of Taichung County. Basically, Da Jia is an agricultural town, not civilized completely. Besides Jen Lan Temple, Da Jia has lots of specials, including eddyroots, rice, Da Jia mats and rush hats. Rush mats and hats are used to be the national business. Though the skill of rush weaving is declining, the value never fades. People say, Da Jia is a blessed name, which means prosperity and fields. Sure it is, Da Jia is a very rich town in the seaside. Jen Lan Temple is the richest temple in Taiwan. Rush businesses in Da Jia have made a lot of outstanding businessmen and a interesting weaving history. For the new generation now, it is not easy to figure out the prosperous and splendid old Da Jia, and hard to imagine rush hat business used to play an important role in the trading market of Taiwan.

2. Summary of Our Project

Fragrant rushes for aged elders are sweet and full of memories. They are grown up from the rush mats with their childhood dreams. However, for the young generation, they should know that Da Jia rush hats and mats business used to be exported to the whole Taiwan, Japan, South Asia, Europe and America. Rush business not only makes this weaving skill popular, but also earns the name as “Weaving Country” for Taiwan. DaJia rush hats and mats are feministic products. Rush products are often weaved up by female craftsmen. Two wonderful women have devoted most of their lives in DaJia rush hats and mats. One is the winner of traditional weaving award—96 years-old Mrs. Ke Juang Wei, the other one is 65 years old lady—Ju Jou Guei Chueng. The two women have one thing in common; both of them are from Jian Shing Country. Now, through the interview with these two grandma craftsmen, we expect students to discover the beauty of traditional rush cultures.

3. Our Computer and Internet Access

A. Percentage of students using the Internet at home:21-50%

B. Number of workstations with Internet access in the classroom:1

C. Connection speed used in the classroom:dedicated connection

D. Number of years our classroom has been connected to the Internet:2-3

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

We use Fast EtherNet(100 Mbps) to link every point of our school ,and use ADSL (1.544Mb/384kb) to link to the Internet. There are two server we had . The one is for Web server ,and the other one is for mail server.

4. Problems We Had To Overcome

1.Most computers in our school are Pentium-133, which are not very considerable for us in using. Teachers have to show their notebooks for students after class. 2.During the interview, because interviewers use Taiwanese, teachers have to translate these the contents for students. 3.We get very precious weaving information, and old pictures from DaJia Farmers’ Association and Miss Li Pei Jing help us a lot. 4.The procedure of setting up a website is a whole new experience for us, however, through this precious experience, we have learned and made up our website.

5. Our Project Sound Bite

1.Anticipating this tour is interesting, we have traveled the craftsmen’s hometowns and DaJia Farmers’ Association. 2.Through this activity, we find out that computers can really help us a lot in our daily life, not only for games. 3.Teachers have spent lots of time in teaching us using computers and setting up the websites. We really thank their devotions. 4.We also have to thank a lot of people who helped us a lot, including Grandma Ke, Grandma Ju, Miss Li… and so on. 5.Culture study is a lifelong matter. During this project, we have learned our humbleness and we have known that we should keep on devoting in restoring our treasure culture.

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

1.Practice the speaking ability through interviews. 2.Practice the ability to induct and analyze by collecting information. 3.Practice their rhetoric by filling in contents of the website. 4.Install students space senses by the composition of the website. 5.Understand the geographic and direction through interviews. 6.Bring students to search the information from Internet by themselves. 7.Practicing their typing ability. 8.Learn about the hi-tech equipments by using cameras and DV. 9.Know about rushes and the advantages they can bring to human bodies. 10.Respect the elders and treasure old cultures. 11.Know more about the local.

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

1.Computer (PC & Notebook) Arrange Project Information 2.Internet Search information and communication 3.Digital Video Camera Photographing Process 4.Scanner Photographing Process 5.Digital Camera Photographing Process 6.Printer Printer some paper 7.Telephone ,Fax Communication 8.Software Website Setting

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

Craftsman’s Homeland is a new policy adapted by Da Jia Town. We decided to make a project with this subject after visiting Craftsman’s Homeland. We want to know about the precious rush weaving culture, craftsmen and their influence, and the diversity of agrobusiness. Though Grandma Ke is already 96-years-old, she stills weaves rush hats and mats. She has lots of artifacts, including mats, hats, bags, and card case. She has showed the rush weaving skill for us during the interview. Da Jia rush mat is famous for its delicacy and complicated weaving skill; thus, it is always treated as national treasure. Through the introduction of Miss Li from Da Jia Farmer’s Association, we have the chance to know another wonderful craftsman—Grandma Ju Jou Guei Chuen. Grandma Ju is a craftsman who applies the rush weaving art in her daily life. The species of her artifacts are from mat, lampshade, bag to parasols, are all made up by rush weaving. Grandma Ju also teaches rush weaving in cram school in order to spread the rush weaving skill for younger people.

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

Da Jia rush hat and mat, like other traditional arts and crafts, have to face the crisis of fading away as times go by. For the new generation, they have no idea about the old prosperous Da Jia Town and rush weaving products. However, we expect people can know about rush weaving tradition through our project and appreciate this art.

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

1.We have to thank two Grandmas who helped us in the interview. The sergeant of Jian Shing Li weaved rushes himself for students really give us a good hand. 2.Members from Da Jia Farm’s Association—Mr. Wang Ruei Min and Miss Li Pei Jing who devoted documents and written information have helped us a lot. We want to thank them all above.

5) Discoveries, Lessons and Surprises (Optional)

1.Through the research of this project, we can know better about this Da Jia weaving culture. 2.Jian Shing society is full of marine creatures. People here always dig delicious mussels. We also expect to share this pretty environment with others. We have seen precious mudskippers and crabs during this wonderful trip. 3.We have learned that we have to be more effective and collect useful information from this process. 4.Teachers have taken us to visit others’ website, so that we can learn from other people’s advantages. We welcome visitors’ suggestions to improve the content of our website. 5.As the website is going to be finished, we have become more nervous. We really expect that our website can be perfect, and we expect visitors can learn Da Jia traditional rush weaving from our introduction. Thanks for your appreciation.