1) What information tools & technologies did you used to complete your CyberFair project?
1. oral interviews---We visited the inhabitants of Old Street in person to understand more about Old Street.
2. computers---We searched for relevant information on the internet and exchange opinions through email, etc.
3. the press---We paid more attention on Old Street in newspapers and magazines.
4. tape recorders---We recorded the content of the interviews.
5. digital camera and cameras---We took photos down during the procedure.
6. scanners and printers---We dealt with the images by scanner and printed required papers out.
7. telephones---Sometimes we had to communicate with the interviewers through telephones.
8. computer softwares---Word 2000; Flashget1.0; Audio comverter; RealAudio Live Encoder; Winzip
9. computer hardwares--- Dreamwaver 4; Frontpage 2000; Flash 5; Photoimpact 6.0; Photoshop 6.0; Cute-ftp; Ws-ftp
2) In what ways did you act as "ambassadors" and spokespersons for your CyberFair project both on-line and in person.
Luckily, our Computer teacher Lin Ming-jiang is acquainted with Dai Ji-si, Secretary-general of Hsin-hua Old Street Cultural Prospect Committee. Thus almost on every holiday the whole group of us with excitement and nervousness called at Hsin-hua Old Street in person and made an appointment with Mr. Dai. In the beginning, we explained our purpose and content of our project in detail. After the explanation, he was moved and encouraged us to keep on working on the "mission" full of meanings. In addition, he actively provided all the information on Hsin-hua Old Street he could acquire. While walking on the streets of Hsin-Hua with Mr. Dai's clear narration, we not only took notes and asked questions but recorded his treasurable narration by a small-sized tape recorder and took photos of every single building by a digital camera. It was the stimulation before each visit and every member's frequent discussion with our computer teacher that made the process of the project more smoothly than we had expected. To be more specific, each of us unconsciously became the spokesman, the "ambassador", and the person who moved the community and furthermore led its residents to participate in. This was what we comprehended from the project and what caused our affections toward Old Street to be deepened and strengthened.
3) What has been the impact of your project on your community?
In the past the topic that our classmates would like to chat with was "What's your favorite foreign scenic spot?", "Where do you think is the place with the most distinguished architecture?", or "Where will you like to play this coming holiday?" Since we started with this project, classmates around us have been curious about the topic of our project and what's more, they have been so deeply attracted that they organize another group researching another topic. Most important of all, we strongly sensed that people around us do not only focus on themselves longer but start to actively show their concerns on events happening around them.
In addition, other teachers showed their concerns about our project and transmitted such relevant information to their students in class. More and more people, including our classmates, teachers, Hsin-hua Old Street inhabitants, and others interested in this topic, reach this common consensus -resources on the internet is there waiting for everyone to make good use of. Besides, our common concept, "the knowledge on the internet is there welcoming for everyone to irrigate and expand", is not a passive social propaganda any more, but an active global tendency.
4) How did your project involve other members of your community as helpers and volunteers?
Fortunately, our project was supported and encouraged by the locals in Old Street from the beginning to the end. Every time when they were going to hold a relevant activity about Old Street, they informed us in advance and made us understand the following development and movement. The members of Hsin-hua Cultural Prospect Committee, in particular, showed the most kindness on our single visit. For example, they would prepared refreshments with tea and light snacks for exhausted us. Perhaps it was affected by our efforts so they turned their passions towards Old Street into another power to drive people work harder on Old Street's revival and renovation. All of us learned a lot from this complementary assistance.
Asides from the locals' voluntary, our classmates kept an eye on any information about Old Street on newspapers and magazines and voluntarily exchanged computer information with us. Besides, some enthusiastic teachers in our school would give us advice when necessary. To sum up, the best achievements cannot be complete without those above-mentioned helpers. We are not only proud of this project, but would like to give them our great big thanks since it's everybody's honor and everyone's efforts.
5) Discoveries, Lessons and Surprises (Optional)
To be honest, the first time when we encountered "Old Street", we were disappointed at its ordinary appearance and even doubted whether we had chosen a place without characteristics to be our topic. However, the first impression faded away completely and instead a sense of mission appeared after the detailed description of every single building from the narrators. This sense of mission came from our interest in Old Street's unique history, from the pity of declining reputation, and from the locals' inspiration and stimulation that they are keen on Old Street's revival.
The entire street of Old Street stores all our valuable memories-how we changed from amateurish narration in the beginning to expert explanation in the end when passengers consulted us; how we found out needed information from messed files and listed out what we thought was meaningful and worth sharing with people; in the meetings, how we did our best to figure out a strategy to combine every member's viewpoint as well as to correspond to our project guidelines.
Anyway, even though what we finished cannot be the toughest mission in the world, we're certain it's the most difficult one we have ever done before. All our pleasure and excitement are beyond description. All we would like to do is shout out, "We made it. We finally made everybody's common wish come true and share it out with people around the world!"
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