School: Hualien County Ming Chi Elementary School
     Hualien , Taiwan, Taiwan

7 students, ages 11 worked together to complete this CyberFair project on February 25, 2005. They have participated in CyberFair in the following year(s): none

Classes and Teachers: Mr. Ming-hwa Chen, Mr. You-jheng Chao, Mr. Chi-an Chang, Mr. Jian-liang Chen, Chi-yi Wu, Chi-yi Lu, Te-wei Liu, Jia-Huei Liu, Wuu-Sheng Meng

E-Mail contact:

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

1. Description of Our Community

Memories fade but would not be forgotten; memories could be concealed but would not disappear. Tianpu Train Station is located at the join of Hualien City and Ji-an Township, is at the bank of Chijiaochuan River, and is next to Toulan Bridge.

Here used to be where old Hualien people repose their emotions and store their memories. The timbers of Morisaka were gathered here for delivery; the sugar canes of Hsincheng, Beipu, were packed here for shipping to Guangfu; train passengers used to get off here only for tasting the hometown flavors at the small noodle shop under the big pine tree. Somehow, without realizing it, the name of Tianpu Train Station has disappeared in the railway timetable.

With cars and people passing by, Tianpu waits at the corner of the street alone. The lonesomeness and the bustling city streets create a strong contrast. Under the pine tree, old people ponder and recall the old stories. It is expected that with Project of Transformation from Old Railway to a Public Arcade”, Tianpu Train Station will be able to display its beauty once more, and that by following the trail of the old railway, young people will be able to imagine and memorize the charm and the sweetness of the land. Like this, the melody of the Memory of Tianpu Train Station will be able to sound in people’s heart and mind.

2. Summary of Our Project

Tianpu has revived and become one spot of the Public Space Activation Plan for Old Railway Corridor in Hualien City. Those days, Tianpu was only a collection-and-distribution station, but these days, it has been developed into an attractive sightseeing spot. The tourists can have a rest by the Tree House, take a look at the going train, wave their hands with the train passengers, and taste the native noodle in the noodle house as well. We hope with the help of this Cyberfair Project, more and more friends all around the world will get to know Tianpu, love Tianpu, visit Tianpu, and feel Tianpu humanistic expressions.

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:1

C. Connection speed used in the classroom:dedicated connection

D. Number of years our classroom has been connected to the Internet:4-6

4. Problems We Had To Overcome

(1)Difficulties in collecting pictures and data: it is really difficult in searching for the past data and old pictures concerning Tianpu. Fortunately, Mrs. Lin interviewed by us offered us some pictures. Moreover, with a lot of difficulties, we found some related data and pictures from the books concerning the old railway history of Taiwan. (2)Difficulties in webpage making: It is the first time we ourselves made the flashes and web pages, so we came across a lot of problems. Fortunately these problems were resolved by Mr. Ming-hwa Chen , Mr. Chi-an Chang, and their friends. (3)Fear for outgoing interview: At the very beginning, we were afraid to make outgoing interview because facing the interviewee, we were too nervous to speak. Later, teachers helped us with practice, and we prepared beforehand, so the fear was gradually dispelled. (4)The control over the working plan: Since we had so many data to deal with, we had to cooperate and remind each other so as to keep up with the working plan.

5. Our Project Sound Bite

I think, such an activity can cultivate children with the countryside affection and macro international viewpoint. In the meantime of instructing these children, I have deeply loved this land where I was born. I learned a lot and gained many unforgettable memories during this special research. If possible, I would like to help children doing further research and exploration of our hometown.

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

(1)Cooperation with the native knowledge acquisition: Of the school standard curriculum, to understand our own hometown accounts for a very important part. Teachers often design so many units helping us further understanding our hometown as visiting the cultural center, understanding birds walking on the ground, etc. Through this Cyberfair project, we initially explored the sightseeing resources of our hometown and learned a lot. (2)The application of the information technology:In the course of the Cyberfair Project, we applied many technologies concerning information media, some of which we had learned before, some of which we were not familiar with and learned at the same time. As a matter of fact, the making of such web pages was also the revelation of what we had learned. We hope it can introduce our object to those who love Hualien, and Tianpu.

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

We used (1) The computer for data processing, web making, and pictures and files compiling.(2) The telephone to contact the activite group members and visitors, in order to confirm the time and location.(3)Digital camera and digital camcorder to collecting image and photo data.(4)Scanner to scan the related data and photos.(5)The portable disc to store and carry the file materials.(6)Video camera for video recording of the interview (7)The recording pen for the taping of the interview.(8)The printer to copy the materials and the questionnaires.(9)The duplicating machine to photocopy the materials and the questionnaires.(10)The network hard disk drive:It often happened that many data needed to be shared at real time, in which case, the network hard disk drive was the best choice. Only if the data were put into the disk drive, we could read and edit them.

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

(1)Make the Tianpu Station Plan known to Hualien citizens: In order to acquaint us with the past and present conditions of Tianpu, we visited many local people, some people who had lived in Tianpu before, and local governors of Hualien County. In this way, we aroused Hualien people to their memory and care for Tianpu. Especially when we interviewed Mayor of Hualien city, some media, like the local news station-- Huilan News Station, the local newspaper—Gengsheng Daily, also made the coverage. (2)Spread the sightseeing features through the network: We carefully designed the research project and put it in the web pages so that all the people throughout the world who didn’t know the sightseeing features of Tianpu could further understand Tianpu through our web pages.

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

(1)Arouse the elders of Hualien to their memory and care for Tianpu:We visited some people who had lived and worked in Tianpu before, which brought about their memory and yearning for Tianpu. (2)Make Hualien people know the present situation of Tianpu: In this Cyberfair project, we completed 233 questionnaires, by which Hualien citizens got to know the present situation of Tianpu, and some of them even could put forward suggestions on laying out Tianpu.

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

We would like to extend our thanks to director Chen and assistant director Chen of the City and Township Development Bureau of Hualien County. They provided us with detailed explanation of A-string-of-beads Plan for the Old Railways, and also explained to us the establishment and application of Hualien sightseeing resources, as a result of which, we realized the importance of Tianpu. We would like to extend our thanks to Mayor Tsai of Hualien City. He treated us very kindly and helped us further knowing the designing situation of Tianpu Tree House. We would like to extend our thanks to Mr. Liao, Mr. Chuang, Mrs. Lin, Mrs. Hsu, Mr. Chen, etc. They told us many old stories about Tianpu. We would like to extend our thanks to Mrs. Chao of Fresh Climate Association. She explained to us the detailed information about building of Tianpu Tree House and other activity arrangements. We would like to extend our thanks to Mr. Chang and Mr. Geng Sheng with Hualien News Station and Ms. Li with Daily Newspaper. They covered our interview with Mayor Tsai and reported the beauty of Tianpu to Hualien citizens. We would like to extend our thanks to Mr. Chian-liang Chen. He came to our school and instructed us to make the website and the flash. We would like to extend our thanks to Headmaster Mrs. Li-shiang. She cared for us, and encouraged us. Thanks are also extended to teachers of the information team for the places and working equipment they provided for us so as to successfully finish this Cyberfair project.

5) Discoveries, Lessons and Surprises (Optional)

(1)Discoveries:In the course of this Cyberfair project, we gained two discoveries. First in the process of the research, we found Tianpu was a place full of meanings and stories, it had a bright future, and it was not only a beautiful sightseeing spot, but also a place of vigorous culture life. Second, we found we were so excellent because although we came across a lot of difficulties we conquered them. (2)Lessons: The lesson we learned was that we had to be efficient otherwise we couldn’t follow the working plan. (3)Surprises: In the process of the Cyberfair project, many earnest people helped us. To our surprise, although Tianpu was only such a small station, so many people cared and loved it. To our much more surprise, all of us have had great affection for Tianpu.