School: Wun De Elementary School
    Fengyuan Township, Changhua County, Taiwan

16 students, ages 11~12 worked together to complete this CyberFair project on February 28, 2009. They have participated in CyberFair in the following year(s): 2

Classes and Teachers: Hsun-te Cho, Pao-chia Wu, Wei-chin Chang

E-Mail contact:

Our School's Web Site: http://www.wdes.chc.edu.tw/

1. Description of Our Community

Wun De Elementary School, located in Dachu Community, Fengyuan Township, Changhua County, is situated on Bagua Plateau, at an altitude of 360 m, which is the highest tribal settlement in the entire county. Due to its high altitude, many TV and broadcast companies have set up transmitting sites in this area to enhance the reception quality. We would pass by TTV central transmitting site and BCC Fenyuang Radio Room on our way to school. The south of Dachu Village, which is near the county boundary, is where the central transmitting sites of CTV and CTS locate.

About a decade ago, BCC started a Better Community Plan, which has greatly improved the local community environment and provided scholarships to nearby schools. Near the BCC Central Transmitting Site, Wun De Elementary School has enjoyed much of BCC’s help. The top 3 students in every class could be awarded with scholarships every semester, which has encouraged our students to work hard. The senior managers of BCC would also participate in local or campus activities whenever there is one; moreover, BCC granted a land for the construction of the Little Genie Park in the south-west side of our campus. The contributions of BCC have been deeply appreciated.

2. Summary of Our Project

Far-reaching world of broadcasting - “The Broadcasting Corporation of China” is our project theme. Through field visits, interviews with the hosts, and various activities organized by BCC, we aim to gain a further understanding of the history, framework, contributions, changes, and reforms of “BCC”, which was established in 1992. Through BCC’s channels, such as i Like radio, News Network, i Radio, Formosa Network, Country Network, Oversea Network, and Hakka Network, we come to understand the influences of BCC on the cultural communication and people’s life, as well as its past and present as the No. 1 radio station in Taiwan.

To conduct a profound research, Wun De Broadcasting Explore Team started from BCC Fenyuang Radio Room next to the campus, visited the National Radio Museum in MingHsiung, Chiai, BCC Taichung, and BCC’s Taipei Headquarters, and even participated in the “Little Broadcast Journalist Camp”. BCC has played a crucial role in the society, made significant contributions and served the function of creating a better society as it provides the public with information on entertainment, knowledge, governmental policies and campaigns. How will BCC respond to the rise of TV, computers and mobile phones? How can BCC create a breakthrough and become popular again? These are all the topics that Wun De Broadcasting Explore Team will discuss in this project.

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:4-6

C. Connection speed used in the classroom:dedicated connection

D. Number of years our classroom has been connected to the Internet:1

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

There are two bidirectional broadband lines of 2M optical fiber powered by Hinet which link to academic network and the outlying school respectively. School network: there is a computer classroom where there are twenty computers inside for student use in our school. All the computers in our school are online, which enables us to discuss, look for, and print out data and documents online. Every staff in our school is equipped with a laptop and everyone is capable of operating basic computer techniques and editing webpages. Personal network at home: our school is located in the suburbs of Changhua County, hence we lack information resources. Only some of the members have personal computers at home and only few of them can connect the ADSL internet. Therefore, most work is done at school. Campus wireless network: the campus wireless network in our school makes it possible for students to search for relevant information freely through their PDA or laptops.

4. Problems We Had To Overcome

The major problem we faced in this project is the enormous amount of information, due to the following reasons: 1) BCC is the largest and oldest broadcasting corporation in Taiwan. Many information and stories of them deserve to be revealed and told. 2) It is a tough challenge to guide the readers to understand relevant knowledge of broadcast for that the knowledge about it is extremely abundant and professional. 3) Although our school is an outlying school and is relatively deficient in resources, the members of Wun De Broadcasting Explore Team are energetic and aggressive in learning and researches. We visited the Taiwan Broadcasting Station of BCC in Taichung, attended the Little Broadcast Journalist Camp, visited the National Radio Museum in Minghsiung, Chiayi County, toured all the broadcasting frequency channels of BCC in Taipei headquarters, interviewed the famous broadcasting host, Mei-ren Yu, and visited the BBC Changhua Fenyuan Radio Room which has been the neighbor of Wun De Elementary School for 36 years. It is really hard to present faithfully such diversified activities of visiting and learning.

5. Our Project Sound Bite

The BCC Fenyuan Radio Room has been the neighbor of Wun De Elementary School for many years. It stretches along from Yuanlin Township, the foot of Tsaotun Mountain, to the highway of Changhua County. The red alternating with white tall towers of the Generator mark the position of it and it seems that the students in Wun De Elementary School can touch the amplitude of it simply by stretching their hands out of the windows. In the end of each semester, the top three students in every class will be awarded with scholarships from BCC. BCC has awarded these scholarships to our school for many years, which has encouraged our students to work hard. As a result of this, our interests in exploring BCC have been aroused.

In the visiting processes, we have gained the knowledge which is not taught in class and some of us have even fallen in love with broadcasting. Among our members, some wish to be broadcasting hosts and some wish to be journalists in the future, which we could not imagine at first. When interviewing the famous host, Mei-ren Yu, we were impressed by her humor, genuineness, and friendly talking. She told us, “Experiences are very important. One can gain precious experiences in each kind of work and one will definitely make use of them in the future.” We will keep her valuable words in mind and no matter what we will do in the future we will fulfill it responsibly and earnestly. The interview with her is our most valuable visiting experience.

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

With the reform of Grade 1-9 curriculum, the education in Taiwan focuses on cultivating the ability to integrate and apply each subject. In the research process, students have reinforced their ability of integration and application, and applied it to editing webpages. The learning effects from this project will help them enhancing their interests in independent leaning in the future.

Social science 1. To perceive the true meaning of mass media. 2. To understand the history and operation of a corporation. 3. To visit and to interview actually. 4. To develop the information resources from relevant experts outside the campus. 5. To develop the ability of cooperative learning.

Natural science & life technology 1. To observe, discuss, and record. 2. To edit webpages. 3. To develop ability of deducing, comprehending, and analyzing. 4. To communicate with peers and to share the fun of activities.

Language (Chinese) 1. To integrate the ability of listening, speaking, collecting, reading, and writing. 2. To apply digital technology flexibly, to integrate the information contents of language, and to report precisely. 3. To increase the ability of active expression. 4. To discuss the reading contents with peers and to share what they have learnt.

Health & physical education 1. To perceive the comforts and contributions that technology has brought to people’s psychological health. 2. To visit, to explore and have physical training, and to increase both physical and psychological health.

Art & Culture 1. To appreciate the beauty of the combination of technology and culture. 2. To appreciate the different forms of art expressions.

Ten major basic abilities Students have naturally applied the ten major basic abilities to the entire processes of this research project and webpage editing, and they have improved a lot.

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

The basic equipped laptops for research team use 1. The number of simple equipped laptops: 3 2. Students have made use of the convenient portability of basic equipped laptops in visiting activities to discuss and record what they have learnt immediately and the learning effects have been retained faithfully right away. 3. Using the laptops in our school can connect to the wireless internet by making use of the 3.5 G wireless network cards distributed from county government. Students can look for data online and send emails anytime, anywhere.

The equipments in the computer classroom: 1. Desktop computers which can connect to optical fiber internet. 2. Digital graphics boards. 3. Educational video equipments. 4. Wireless internet equipments.

Multimedia e-classroom The equipments in the e-classroom: 1. Laptops which can connect to wireless internet 2. Digital graphics boards 3. Multimedia educational projector and video equipments 4. Wireless internet equipments 5. Electronic white-board wireless pointer 6. Wireless projector and video system

The introduction of our wireless broadband campus environment: 1. The number of wireless routers: 5 2. The average distance of each wireless router is around 50 meters and three routers alone can completely cover the distance of all the classrooms and outdoor environment in our school. 3. The laptops in our school can connect to wireless broadband internet.

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

All the members of Wun De Broadcasting Explore Team have shown up in each visiting activity and we would have discussed about and planned the procedures of the activity and have communicated with BCC and National Radio Museum about the subjects and topics of the interviews. We would have offered formal official documents in accordance with their requests for the convenience of prearrangement and assistance. Students in our school tend to say, “Why not bring us to understand BCC and broadcast?” We have not only investigated the topics of this research but also have figured out the miniature and framework of the research through the usage of several verbs, such as “bring” and “to understand.” We have looked for “the introduction of broadcasting theories” online under the instruction and have further found the existence of National Radio Museum in MingHsiung, Chiayi County, which is rich in broadcasting information and cultural relics. Meanwhile, we have also focused on the BCC Taiwan Broadcasting Station in Taichung and the Taipei headquarters of BCC in this project. With our diversified collections of broadcasting information, presentations of the records and archives of historical documents in BCC, visits of BCC Taiwan Broadcasting Station and National Radio Museum in MingHsiung, Chiayi County, participation in Little Broadcasting Journalist Camp, visiting each channel in BCC Taipei headquarters and interviewing the famous broadcasting host, Mei-ren Yu, and the tour of “BCC Changhua Fenyuan Radio Room,” we have made our efforts to present the most colorful broadcasting world to readers as the role of an ambassador.

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

The development of an industry may bring prosperity to local development but it may bring some negative effects as well. Therefore, the most important work to a corporation is to develop and share its business with the locals to avoid the protests of them, especially with current rise of sense of environmental protection. We have faithfully reported the contributions and feedback that BCC has made, especially in the earthquake when TV channels failed to send messages and the broadcasting stations elaborated their best functions, helped save a lot of life, and facilitated the work of rescue. BCC has been the spiritual food of people in Taiwan as early as the time when televisions were not popular. People were used to listening to the radio and working at the same time. Although televisions can be seen everywhere now, the convenience of listening to the radio and the portability of walkmans can still not be replaced by televisions. BCC has been in existence for 81 years since its establishment in Nanjing, Tingchiachiao in Mainland China in 1928 to current digital BCC headquarters on Sungchiang Road in Taipei operated by a corporation in 2009. It has always been the leading trend and is still being transformed and reformed by future thoughts. The transformation from frequency channels of AM/FM to digital audio broadcasting (DAB) and online broadcasting in 21st century, the spirit of constant innovations in BCC is the best demonstration for corporations.

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

1. Contacted interview subjects 2. Served as the consulters of the plan 3. Assisted in providing transportation tool for visiting 4. Instructed students in writing their reflections

Advisors of BCC 1. Provided information in written and digital forms 2. Trained the Wun De Broadcasting Explore Team in Little Broadcasting Journalist Camp. 3. Held seminars that increase teachers’ knowledge of broadcasting media. 4. Introduced and explaining relevant history and work of BCC 5. Taught basic knowledge of broadcast and the producing procedures of broadcasts. 6. Assisted the team in recoding the broadcasts

Professional assistance: The Computer Center of National Chi Nan University 1. Assisted in producing webpages and providing consultations 2. Designed Flash program and providing consultations 3. Video and audio processing of webpages Parent volunteers:

5) Discoveries, Lessons and Surprises (Optional)

Were it not for CyberFair, the students in our school might never investigate anything about broadcast throughout their life. Even the nearest BCC Fenyuan Radio Room seemed so strange to us before. After participating in the activities of interviews, visiting, keeping records, writing reports, and being broadcasting journalists, the students are more acquainted with the broadcasting world. Just like what our principal, Jui-ju Chang, said, “These activities are the most valuable and beautiful memories to our students.”

With such hopes and aims, Wun De Broadcasting Explore Team will continue to investigate and look for other findings, lessons, and surprises.

Findings (the combination of “teaching and uniting”) are in the interactions between teachers and students of determining the framework of research topics and the procedures of exploration.

The surprise is that to look for the research topic is not as hard as what we had imagined. The direction of this work was gradually formed by the participation, talking, constant clarification, and the summarization from the students.

The best lesson and inspiration we have learnt is that: knowledge is left everywhere and can be found as long as one pays attention to it and the exploration is full of hopes when someone starts to lead for that well begun is half done.