School: Jeemay Elementary School
    Sanchung, Taipei County, Taiwan

13 students, ages 10-12 worked together to complete this CyberFair project on February 11, 2010. They have participated in CyberFair in the following year(s): 2

Classes and Teachers: Mr. Chen, Te, Ms. Hunag, Lan-Chu, Mr. Chou, Chuan-Chieh, Ms. Wang, Szu-Ya

E-Mail contact:

Our School's Web Site: http://www.jmes.tpc.edu.tw/

1. Description of Our Community

In Taipei, everywhere you go, you’ll find rich, multiple, and energetic cultures. Short visit or long stay, you will miss the diversity here. Taipei is a city with variety, hope, and energy. It has accumulated rich and substantial functions over years, including environmental protection, recreation, humanity, and arts. Its historical architecture makes it richer. Aside from the geographical and traffic convenience, people from different areas are reaching out for their dreams with passion here. With our advantages, we led children to know the cultural diversity, and find out street perfomances in Taipei. Last but not least, we hope to make some contributions of keeping and passing on our traditional art performance to the next generation.

2. Summary of Our Project

The project is centered on the introduction of the buskers, Heng-Yi Wang and Zheng-Wei Chen. We led students to have a deep interview about the ups and downs of them. From Mr. Wang’s learning process and his devotion to pass on traditional art, students know further about buskers in Taiwan and learn from their willpower and perseverance.

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:4-6

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

School’s computers and Internet access: There are three computer classrooms, totally 120 computers with Internet access. The Internet is a 100 MB optical fiber that connects to the Education Network Service Center of Taipei County. Besides,each class is equipped with computers for project members to search for the information. Group members’ computers and Internet access at home: Everyone can connect to the Internet at home. After school, we exchange information through Cyberfair’s checklist, BBS, and our school’s FTP space to break time limitation at school.

4. Problems We Had To Overcome

A. Need to keep up with schoolwork:From the beginning, the teachers have kept reminding us the importance of keeping up with schoolwork. It took much effort and time to finish every step, including planning, gathering information, finishing group tasks, figuring out problems, communicating, arranging interviews, writing contents, and setting up websites. As primary school students, we did what college students do. Two months passed. Fewer and fewer people came to the meetings and group tasks remained unfinished. After the final exam, there were only thirteen students left to fight for the goal. The teachers kept telling us “Success is for people with perseverance.” Their words made us cooperate with each other and cherish one another even more. B.Hold microphones for the first time:In order to enhance our composure on stage, our teachers asked us to make reports with microphones from the first time. We were stressed out; some were shaking and the others were speechless for five minutes long on the stage. With tears in the eyes, the group member still couldn’t step off the stage until the bell rang. However, everyone was well-prepared on the second day. Our presentations went well. Maybe it wasn’t ideal enough, we’ve stepped forward a little bit. The second time holding the microphone was for interviewing Grandpa Wang. We still felt nervous at the beginning. However, thanks to all the strict training in advance, we had progressed a lot. It also helps us to interview the audience and feel more confident. It is always difficult for the first time, but we have overcome it. C. Communication:After interview, we had to type the record word by word. We used to think it was easy but from the first minute, we knew we were wrong. It took so much effort and patience to get each word in the record. We had to listen again and again to avoid any mistakes. We even had to call for help from our teachers and families because it was hard to understand so many phrases in Taiwanese that Mr. Wang spoke. There were other problems in the process. For example, the recording wasn’t clear enough and the computers turned off without saving documents. Now, we can truly realize how hard working jornalists are. D. Require variable abilities:After initial interview, evaluation, and discussions about different categories, we finally came to a certain and hopeful start under the agreement of Grandpa Wang. In order to understand the buskers, Heng-Yi Wang and Zheng-Wei Chen, we …

5. Our Project Sound Bite

We understood how street performers started their dreams and what made them stick to their visions. What matters the most is the spirit of “ Never give up” we learnt from them.

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

By participating in “2010 Taiwan School Cyberfair,” we saw students’ improvement from involving themselves completely. Of course, there were ups and downs, but we overcame them hand in hand. Sweet after sweat, everything evetually paid off. In a series of activities, we also gained different abilities and valuable experiences. The project focuses on computer science education, language, art and humanities. Also, it combines with social science, science and technology, intergrated education, and with special attention on the development of local feelings and interpersonal cooperation. A. What we learnt from it: a. For teachers: The project covers variable areas, not only research methods, research tools, and application of IT skills, but also intergration of knowledge. In the process, the teachers showed what they were good at. Also, through constant discussion, they learnt from each other. As a result, the project helped teachers become more professional. b. For students: It’s a totally different learning experience. Through working on the project, students got many kinds of experiences. In the process, they learnt to cooperate with each other, do research, discuss, think and plan carefully to make the whole plan go well. Students who used to take a pessimistic attitude turned into constructing knowledge positively. Students also got the chance to test and develop their interests and abilities. This is the so called “ abilities that can be carried around.” For students, it is also a valuable experience that they will never gain in class. B. How it supports curriculum requirements: a. Language: We enhanced our communicative skills through intense teamwork and applied writing skills to information arrangement and feedback writing. Interview is also a knowledge. It helps our learning in the language field through making questions for various candidates, prompt responses during interviews, gathering and scaning data in advance and so on. It’s an opportunity to polish our skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing all together. b. Social Science: We did research on the content of Taiwan’s traditional performances, experienced local people’s wisdom and feelings, and hoped to make some contributions to keep and pass down the traditional perfomance. In the process, we tried to find out the solutions to the problems we encountered, which helped us develop critical thinking, and problem solving abilities. With the emphasis on law and order, we also …

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

http://librarywork.taiwanschoolnet.org/gsh2010/gsh6078/IT_tools.html

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

A. Invite the musician, Mr. Wang, to school: We found out how to contact Mr. Wang through the information provided by the Department of Cutural Affairs, Taipei City Government. We called him to explain our purposes, and set time for the performance. Then, we filled out application forms for field and facility renting. The week before his coming, we even made invitation and thak-you cards during lunchtime. On that day,we greeted Mr. Wang at the front door and tried our best to make his staying pleasant. B. Promote the show in school: Two weeks before the show, in order to catch everyone’s attention, our teachers announced the news in students’ morning meeting and we also went to all the sixth grade classes to promote the activity. On that day, many teachers, students, and parents came, and our school principal took pictures constantly because it was his first time to see the outstanding performance of “One Man Band.” C. Interview: We worked as journalists to interview Mr. Wang and Mr. Chen. To gain further information, former preparation was necessary. We had to be careful about manners, talk at the right time, type the record word by word after the interview and organize the information on the websites. D. Promotion: The website would be a media to let more people know the traditional art. It would also win more applause for traditional artists and help to pass down the unique features of the performance culture.

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

A. Enhance our IT and language capability: In the process, we depended much on IT, Internet Explorer, media software, and so on. The opportunity let us show what we are good at and carry us to the next level. Besides, we also learnt more mature communicative skills in adult world. B. Develop our sense of confidence: From repetitive interviews and reception, group members fostered the ability to express themselves in an intimid and organized way. Group members built their confidence from fulfilling the complex procedure: gathering and scanning information, coming up with interview questions, getting facilities ready before the interview, being cautious of manners during the interview, typing the record word by word, sharing feedback and reports after the interview. They believe anything is possible when you pour in efforts and unite with others as a team.

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

A. The Departments of Cultural Affairs in Taipei city and county provided much useful art information. It lets us know what efforts they’ve been doing to promote art activities and how much they emphasize on the intergenerational transmission and creation of art. Cultural Affairs Bureaue of Taipei County Government http://www.culture.tpc.gov.tw/web/Home?command=display&page=flash Department of Cultural Affairs, Taipei City Government http://www.culture.gov.tw/ B. The director and administrators in the Department of Cultural Affairs in Taipei City provided us opportunities of interview and a lot of valuable information. C. Because of the convenience of the Internet, we got to know the professional photographers who provided their pictures to us. Mr. Lai’s blog http://digilife.pixnet.net/blog/category/list/1164739 Mr. Chen’s blog http://www.wretch.cc/blog/pulisfchen D. Thanks to all the directors, teachers, and parent teachers, they helped us to promote the activity, took care of things during the performance, and drove us to the locations of interview. E. For buskers and audience who attended “2009 Busker Carnival”and “2009 Busker Audition”, because you were willing to fill out questionnairs for us, we could get precious information.

5) Discoveries, Lessons and Surprises (Optional)

A. Find out we can do things what college students do: Through filling out questionnaires, we know many buskers, the elders, and people at our age. Through the convenience of the Internet, we also make friends with two photographers. Contacting with them for the first time, we worried about bothering them too much and being turned down. Luckily, they were willing to offer help. They are both professional in the areas of photography, art, and culture. Most important of all, they supported our decision to join in Taiwan School Cyberfair very much. We really appreciate them wholeheartedly. B. Sweet after sweat: Signing up for candidates of the project in the beginning, we thought it was merely a matter of gathering, reporting, modifying information according the teachers’ instruction, and posting it on the websites. Interviewing the Department of Cultural Affairs in Taipei City, Mr. Heng-Yi Wang and Mr. Zheng-Wei Chen, typing record word by word and so many other things were just beyond our expectation. Now we know to do a project takes much devotion, but all the hardwork will eventually pay off. C. Make many friends: We thought primary students just have to mind our own business. To do something beyond our routine was merely daydreaming. However, we came to realize we could reach college students’ level by participating in 2010 Taiwan School Cyberfair. Everyone has stereotype that we can only do simple missions. Doing research, interviewing someone famouse, being 'ambassadors' and spokespersons are for college students. Now, we break the stereotype and let people know how good we are.