CyberFair Project ID: 5514

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International Schools CyberFair Project Narrative
Title: Interrelatedness
Category: 7. Environmental Awareness
URL: http://www.msc.edu.ph/cyberfair_2008/environmental_awareness1/
Bibliography: http://www.msc.edu.ph/cyberfair_2008/environmental_awareness1/english/bib.html

School: VYP-MSC Institute of Technology High School Dept.
    San Pablo City, Laguna, Philippines

12 students, ages 12-14 worked together to complete this CyberFair project on March 7, 2008. They have participated in CyberFair in the following year(s): 2002-2008

Classes and Teachers: Mr. BJ Liñan and the Freshmen

E-Mail contact:

Our School's Web Site: http://www.msc.edu.ph

Project Overview

1. Description of Our Community

Situated at heart of Luzon Island, 80 kilometres south of Manila, our San Pablo City community is more of a farm community rather than that of a city. Our “Bayan” or the city proper has a typical “pueblo” setting where it hosts major edifices for trade, commerce, educational institutions, religion and governance. “Bayan” is surrounded by mountainous regions of rainforest ecosystems usually called “Ilaya”

But most of our people dwell in what we call “bukid” or the farmlands of coconut, rambutan, lanzones or rice fields. Families in farmlands are living of a typical rural life. The father heads and provides for the family, mother cooks, and children helps after school is their typical day. Fiestas are religiously observed (pun intended) as a sign of appreciation to their patron saint for a bountiful harvest.

Some of our people are pursuing their “Filipino dream” of taking chances to work abroad. In line with this, most of the students are also gearing their education towards working overseas. This creates reaction to educational institutions to cater these degree demands of which are dependent to the global workforce demands.

We are blessed with fertile land to till, potable fresh water sources, blooming flora and a diverse fauna. We are blessed with natural resources that can sustain our population. Our community also homes a variety of talented artists of different fields from visual arts, to music, and even theatre arts.

Sad to say, some of our people inherited the patriarchal culture. In some way, people have develop a thinking of “Siga” (bully) should be respected. Also an attitude of “one-time-big-time” gave way to laziness and greed. Out of school youth are growing in number. Drug addiction is becoming a social problem. Our community is unbecoming and will continue to if actions are not done.

2. Summary of Our Project

Our generation is facing a fast approaching environmental catastrophe. We have our issues on global warming, ozone layer depleting, and bio-diversity diminishing. On the local side, our lake waters are fouling, rainforests are turned into an expanding dumpsite, and coconut plantations are massively being deforested. These issues need eminent attention. Life giving systems of nature is failing because of human activities. Most of the people still are taking for granted the importance of our environment. They are numb to the effects of its gradual degradation. People lose their concern to the other parts of this living system.

This site is a digital information tool about our community ecosystems. It will discuss the effects of human habits that put strains to our ecosystems. There are three parts that addresses local environmental concerns of our community.

The first part will tackle issues regarding the aging of our lakes. This process is also known as eutrophication. This will show what causes eutrophication in which is hastened by human activities.

The second part is the issue on constricting rainforest areas because of encroachment of dumpsites. This will try to explain that areas are becoming useless because of increasing volumes of trash produced by our city. This will show problems regarding solid waste management and discuss some government programs on this issue.

The third part is about the deforestation of coconut plantations. This will talk about agricultural lands that are being converted to residential areas. Thus, coconut plantations are cleared, making a deficit on source of raw materials for local industry.

The site will try to consolidate these issues for the general public to be aware of. And hope will join forces to take an active resistance against wrong practices, and then enjoy the passionate existence with our nature.

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:more than 6

4. Problems We Had To Overcome

The problem on saving our nature resources is we have to have resources ourselves. Resources like time, materials, financial support are needed to fulfill this project.

Time is a resource that has great demands we the students who has pressures of deadlines of school works, also team came from different barrios even from different towns. We therefore have set meeting after school and before 4:30 pm.

Also materials that we need to present our case is not available. No previous study is done that we can use to support our hypothesis.

And lastly, these projects need some finances. Some of expenses like photo copying of documents, ride fares etc. are shouldered with our own pockets.

But solving this problem help us to learn the discipline on scheduling budgeting also, we learn to be creative a resource in making this project.

5. Our Project Sound Bite

Cyber fair made us to be aware of the present conditions and situations of our community and our environment as well. It gives us a new clear perspective that our environment is our only habitat and our only life support system. It broadens our understanding on how our ecosystem works made it clear to us that we humans are not on top of things, living or non-living, but we are just a part of a complex living system.

This learning will become more relevant the moment it causes people to make necessary actions to do their part. Once collaborative ideas is translated to united action, and more people learn about its essence, people will begin to live in unity, all parts of nature will live in cooperative existence.

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

Our project is addressing the global concerns of environmental degradation. As members of the youth sectors, as the heir to this planet earth, we need to be aware on current global as well as the local environmental issues. It is also for the people to learn the science concept so that they will know and be part of the solution.

Our school curriculum is more relevant to local community. Science topics in school is oriented on local issues. The project's category, environmental awareness, was also very familiar to us because part of our local scientific issues of concern. We have a grasp on those science topics discussed in this site..

What we have learned from this cyberfair project is pausing for a moment and stepping back to see the big picture on how our nature is giving life. We understand that we human beings are just a tiny part of our ecosystems. We need to follow its laws and be influenced by how it functions. Also, this project practiced our science investigative skills. We have to back our theory with concrete data. Our statements should be supported with facts and figures. We have to do research and appropriation of scientific knowledge to local concerns. By doing this, we had a deeper understanding and became more credible in influencing people.

Using the Internet for teaching and learning has been more effective than traditional methods because in surfing the Internet an individual can get all the information we need. Learning is easier because it is full of modern ideas than traditional method. But still we need to learn some traditional ways because most government offices are still working in a traditional framework.

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Project Elements

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

We are fortunate enough to be born as “internet babies”. As we grow to our teenage years, Internet had become an information power tool for everyone. Almost all information is posted on the web and is readily available right at your finger tips. Almost everything can be digitized and be shared worldwide. Internet access is available in our school and local cybercafés.

Digital tools are great conveniences for doing this project. SMS, MMS, YM Email established a reliable communication network. Cell phones are very practical to use that it is likely to have a one-to-one person-to cell phone ratio. Most cell phones today are even equipped with digital cameras which further added to convenience. Micro flash drives, MP3 players and other storage devices helped us to share and backup files. The technology gave us the ability to pack gigabytes of data without the added weight in our pockets (another pun intended).

Digital cameras also made our snapshots a bit professional looking since we can take pictures as many as our memory cards can hold without worries of wasting precious film. Also real-time preview of the shot makes it easier to compose a picture. With practice snapping picture makes perfect. Scanners are used to digitize old photos. Digital video is also possible for better documentation.

Flash animation is good tool for learning. Motion graphics are better understood than stills, therefore is a better learning material.

And of course, we have to pay tribute to the workhorse of all of these, the personal computer. Enough is said.

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

Joining in a contest like CyberFair aided us on expressing our thought and concerns about our environment. We hope people will learn that environment matters. We have our talks to public officials and people around in every community and learn from each other. As a spokesperson we inform people what we need to do our part in preserving our environment.

We have to learn and appropriate the use of technology. Technology gave us tools to do our work efficiently, to reach more people. We established friendship among us and other students as well. It also helped us to work together to accomplish common goals. Lastly, we had our fun doing the project.

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

As we did the project, it first changed our viewpoint on environmental issues. We have to be aware the need to preserve our ecosystems. We need this because ecosystems are the basis of life. We are speaking of our generation’s (and also the next’s) life support system here and it seems that we have to demand for its good condition. Effects of these environmental problems are coupling and trickling in to be felt by human beings and at least this generation is sensitive enough to be aware and some are taking actions. Films did a great part for our community to also be aware. To be learned on environmental catastrophes. Slowly, people are being critical on these issues.

As we did our talks with different local offices, we learn from each other. Most of the offices can provide a limited history regarding the environmental status of our concern. Then we tell them the science of particular issues. Like for example, the science of eutrophication is not well understood in our local office for the environment. And sad to say, some of the people there don’t have a good grasp on how ecosystem works. We need to understand the signs nature is giving us. We need to realize our roles in our ecosystem. Thus, we learn together and we are trying hard to unite, to take action and be part of solving environmental problems.

We hope, like what happened to us, this can change the perspective of the communities on the way they view this wonderful ecosystem. This will jumpstart their concern and from there, the birth of responsibility. We hope with our project, the community learns. Then the community unites.

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

This project will not be this successful if we do not have the people who gave us some advice and help us to complete this entry. We want to give them great big thanks for their involvement to make this project successful.

We would like to thank the different offices of San Pablo City for the information that we need for our project. The solid waste management office of San Pablo City was kind enough to share their pictures about dumpsite. Mr. Ramon de Roma and Al Genove of San Pablo City water District had a great informative presentation regarding rainforest. They also shared some information about percentage of water here in San Pablo City. City Environmental and Natural Resources Office gave us some information materials about lakes of San Pablo City. Office of City planning especially Mrs. Cristy Samiano shared her knowledge about coconut plantation.

We would also like to thank the website of Wow Philippines www.wowphilippines.com for some information about our country, the Cyberfair entry 2004 of MSC, Paradise Lost...Paradise Reborn for the information about fish kill that happened in our city, the MSC high school teachers for their help and advice to finish this project, the Batang Atikha for the seminar they handle in our school that talk about environmental awareness.

Also, we greatly appreciate Mariel Jewel Aranza Flores and Mary Honeylette Escano Laysa who helped us with the design of this webpsite. Lastly the MSC students who write about this website. To all the people who help us, thank you very much!

5) Discoveries, Lessons and Surprises (Optional)

Being a student, at first I thought that joining a contest like Cyberfair is just a waste of time, but after many days of deciding to join, I knew that I'm wrong, I'm definitely wrong.

Cyberfair supports the students to enhance our talents in using computers; it also helps us to work together, to accomplish common goals.

In order to accomplish this project, we contacted and talked to people in our community. We told them about this project and how they can help us to make our goal.

Cyberfair project did a great difference in us. Because it gave us various information on how students can help in the problems that our country is facing right now. We are encountering so many problems so we better help.

I was surprised when I knew that Cyberfair is a one way to control probable effects of what people are doing to harm our environment and we, people can suffer from our own mistakes.

I also learned that even small mistakes can do big effects and people are one of the factors that can do a big help to normalize and clean our community. So I decided to join this project so I can also be the one that can do a big help to our community.

Cyberfair is not just a contest but also a program to minimize the people's carelessness to our environment. We are obviously abusing our environment and just to have money for our government, we are taking the risk in promoting or enhancing some people to do the wrong things. Illegal loggers are some of our country's problem because they are making our surroundings to be dirty or messy.

I am doing my part for this project so I am hoping that my contribution can really help.

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