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1. Description of Our Community
cated at northeast corner of Taiwan, Yilan County is neighboring vast Pacific Ocean at east side and north, south and west sides are blocked by Shueh Shan Range and Central Ranges. Since ancient time, it is an isolated land of purity. Due to the topography and monsoon, Yilan is one of few counties with rain in all seasons. This made it more than 50 lakes in the county and paradise for water plant. Take well-know Suanglianpi as instance, in the lake, there are plants of 202 species of 80 families, and in categories of water plant it is top of Taiwan wetlands. However, due to change in natural environment and human error, some precious and rare species are either disappeared or are disappearing. Fortunately, we have Mister Chiu Jin-Ho and his voluntary follower sacrificing off-hours in protection and restoration. In the way of interpretation, experiencing and building ecology pond to gradually bring water plants into campus and into the public life. In addition to extend the new life of water plants, they demonstrated the genuine meaning of Yilan, the County of Environmental Protection.
2. Summary of Our Project
In his early years, Mister Chiu Jin-Ho involved in wood carving jobs. By chance, he became a guard and in restoration of wetlands. In the recent years, he leads a group of volunteer having same dream as him to build ecology ponds in Lotung Sports Park, Chen’s Jianhu House, Chengsiang Natural Ecology Community, Shichao Community, Chi Sian Elementary School, Shueh Jin Elementary School and restore endangering water plant. Mister Chiu is currently Head of Yilan Chapter, Taiwan Wetlands, Deputy Head of Society of Wilderness, Kavalan Station Head of Wetlands Sheltering Center, SOW and he continues his conviction in wetland protection and water plants restoration.
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):
The School provided students with T1 of ADSL network of Chunghua Telecom with 1.5M bandwidth as resource structure for net surfing. Presently there are 80 computers available for students to click on line all the time. There are also 2 scanners and one printer for network printout. The above are equipment available in Computer Classroom. In each class, there is a computer allowing students to get on line and the School provides students attending Cyber Fair Competition with one B/W Printer and one Color Printer. In access, Computer classroom has one Linux host as the space for storing the students’ personal data and WebPages. All 7 members of the team are having computer resources at home to search for data and material on line at home.
4. Problems We Had To Overcome
1.Timing of interview:While the students are fond of interviewing, the time available for them is frequently incompatible with the time the interviewed is available, and most of the students have there extra curriculum classes. This situation challenged our interview arrangements all the time. The counseling teachers are forced to do the interview and record on their behalf and relay and discuss with students at later time. 2.Security:Security of student is the most important issue in the course of the research. As most of the arrangements are made possible in short notice, it is not unusual for the students to give up due to requirements under insurance policy.Establishing Interview Plan as early as possible and arrange the interview schedule with insurance company well in advance . 3.Difference between interests of students and teachers in the research project: Students were interested in participating the first half of the job, but were not patient enough in sorting data and converting the results of interview into words.Discussion between teachers and students that in the whole process, importance of data sorting and interpretation are at least equal to the 1st half gathering, if not higher. 4. Control of dangers in the wilds:In the field work, environment changes all the time and the security and safety of students becomes the major issue of the research.In addition to enforce safety code, teachers and parents were asked to pay higher attention. 5. Connection with school teaching needs be strengthened:While we worked very hard in field investigation, the findings were shared only within the team and were less efficient in sharing and re-italicization. Converting into readable form in Chinese and English webpages for sharing with friends not only within the school but for all interested parties outside of the school. 6. Still some other things need to be done:The more we talked to there are more we need to talk to and the more materials we need to collect.Though our workload increased with the approaching of deadline of uploading, our morale increased as well and both the teachers and students are proud of what we have achieved.
5. Our Project Sound Bite
Mister Chiu Jin-Ho is a unique person. He does not have exceptional educational background, but he turned himself into an expert in wetlands with unbounded perseverance and unsurpassable love of nature. In 365 days of a year, Mister Chiu spent 300 days in the wild land. It seems that wetlands and wilds are all what he loved. One of our teachers had told us that once she attended the class of Mister Chiu and he brought the students to an ecology pond. She thought that Mister Chiu was going to explain what was seen, yet, he asked them to take off shoes and put on swamp suit and walk into the cold pond. He asked them to move around in the mud and clean and sort the water plant. This class impressed her very much that she could not forget it ever. Mr. Chiu feels that the wetlands written on books are too far away from real life and it would be too slow and too late for wetland protection. This is why he always rolls up trousers and leads learners in action to pay regards to wetland. Our coverage started from observation and recording, but ended up with actual involvement. This is the way, we learnt more from this approach than what we have expected. Mister Chiu protects wetlands of Yilan in action and he led us to reacquaint with wetland and to treasure the earth we have.
6. How did your activities and research for this CyberFair Project support standards, required coursework and curriculum standards?
The 9-year –Through Education System stress on nurturing student with humanity sense, consolidating ability, culture of democracy, visions of both local and international, and to be healthy citizens for life-long learning. In this research plan of presenting Mister Chiu Jin-Ho, we hoped to provide students the ability they can carry with them, such as setting up plan, collecting data, interview / questionnaire survey, webpage production skill. In the field action, we found that the students were enthusiastic in searching but were in need of proper guidance to lead them to and focus on the target. In addition to presenting the outcome of research, it is also hoped that students would realize the significance of coexistence between mankind and wetland and the skill in conducting research. We left the student to search and to integrate materials and data, so t hat they will appreciate the connection between wetland protection in one part and the living and economic meaning as the other part, so that they can acquire the ability to actively care about the changes of wetland around us. In the extended effectiveness of the research, through the experience in conservation and restoration of wetland and frequent visit, we offer the school courses in nature and sciences a real touch. The research mode also provides reference, even basis, for thematic teaching.
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1) What information tools & technologies did you used to complete your CyberFair project?
1.Telephone: Liaison with interviewed and communication between members of the team 2.Recording pen: Recording the interviews 3.DV: Recording interview and visits 4.Digital Camera: Photographing and reproduct 5.Scanner: Scanning photos from books and photo albums 6.USB: Backup 7.TV: Review the effect of video taping 8.Computer: Computer Producing WebPages, accessing data, browsing materials and burning CD. 9.Lap-Top Computer:Producing WebPages, accessing data and browsing materials: 10.Internet: Browsing materials and data, 11.Computer Software:Ulead Photo Impact 8,Microsoft Frontpage,Internet Explorer,Microsoft Word 2000(XP),Macromedia Dreamweaver MX,Macromedia Flash MX,CuteFTP4.0,Windows Movie Maker,Microsoft PowerPoint,Medi@show,????CPMAGIC,Nero Start Smart.
2) In what ways did you act as "ambassadors" and spokespersons for your CyberFair project both on-line and in person.
The data and materials obtained for this research are partly from interview and site recording. Other than telephone reservation, we used also email to communicate with parties to be interviewed. When we visited Mister Chiu Jin-Ho, students of Water Plant Class and Wood Carving Class, we took chances to know teachers, students and parents of other school and we presented them with our research plan. In our school, in addition to the regular report of our interview, we also took chances in making cross-discipline thematic report to share with classmates, in reading and in making report. We also attend Teachers’ Seminar to show what we were going to do and what we have done. Outsdie of the school, we have made our efforts in winning funding and subsidy from Yilan County Government and Parent’s Association. We posted Project Research Webpage Link on Website of the School to promote our research plan. We also used the Message Board of Cyber Fair to present our Thematic Report to our competitors and presented Wetland Protection and Mister Chiu Jin-Ho. We have support from the School to translate out WebPages into English. As we have enrolled in International Cyber Fair competition, we will post our work on system of Cyber Fair, we are sure that more and more people will be attracted to the beautiful story of Yilan.
3) What has been the impact of your project on your community?
Mister Chiu Jin-Ho told us “I will do what nobody would want to do!” Watching him weeding wetland single-mindedly, we could not but turn our mind inside, asking ourselves what attitude we have in our learning and the way we deal with the nature. After completing the research, we impress the world of wetlands into our brain stead of covered in book of pages, thus, we learnt to enjoy the beauty of wetland and we realized the importance of wetland. The understanding invited us to join in the campaign for protecting wetland, contributing our effort into bringing more volunteers in line.
4) How did your project involve other members of your community as helpers and volunteers?
In the course of this research, we are indebted to many people who have rendered their time, offering material, accepting our interview. All these are indispensable parts of the smooth completion of our works in completing the establishment of webpages. Among all those made their contribution, we will thank particularly the following persons: Mister Chiu Jin-Ho, who accepted our interview, Mr. Wu Jian-Ho, president of Parents Association of Yu Tian Elementary School, Ms. Yu Jia-Jeng, Mr. Li Shu-Hua, Mr. Lin Jian-Wu, Mr. Wu Jian-Liang, Mr. Liao Jin-Cheng, Mr. Lin Ying-Ji, owner of Hefengchulu Leisure Farm, Mr. Huang Se-Fu, Principal of Chi Sian Elementary School, Ms. Huang Chiung-Yao, teacher, Mr. Lai Yung-Sian, Mr. Chiu Si-Cheng, Mr. Chang Tser-Sheng, Miss Huang Mei-Sho, Miss Chang Yi-Ying of Water Plant Class of Community College, Mr. Wu Jiun-Chung, Director General of Tainan Chapter, Wetlands Taiwan, volunteers of Wetland Taiwan , Chung Hsing Kindergarten, Kuo Hua Junior High, Mr. Tsai Sheng –An, teacher of Yu Chai Elementary School, parents of Min-Si, Wood Carving Class of Yu Tian Community, volunteers of Yilan Wilderness Association, Water Plants Class of Community College. And, there are Mr. Lin Hung-Chang, Principal of Le Min Elementary School, Mr. Hsieh Kuo-Hsing, President of Le Min Elementary School Parents Association, Mr. Jian Wei-Kuo, Director of Faculty Division, Mr. Lin Ching-Huei and Mr. Lin Yu-Hau, teachers of Le Min Elementary School. Only with your help can we complete the webpages for participating competition.Thank you all.
5) Discoveries, Lessons and Surprises (Optional)
Mr. Lu took us to Lotung Forest Area today to visit learners of Yilan Community College. In their words, Mister Chiu is a treasure and one can mine lot of stories of plant. They felt that Mister Chiu is different from other teachers in the Community College that, except the orientation 1st class, all his “Lecturing” are performed in the field to transmit the knowledge about water plant. They are deeply impressed and they referred it as “No where is not our classroom. The learners knew well that in restoration of water plants, it is hard work and the results may not be good as expected, but the course of doing it is interesting and meaningful. They admire the earnest and perseverance of Mister Chiu and they hope many more would be attracted to the line. So, shall we join him to do something for mother earth? Even a bit will do.
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View our CyberFair Project
(Project ID: 5371)
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