1. Description of Our Community
Chenggon Township, visited by masses of tourists every year, is a famous township at the east coast of Taiwan. Neighboring with the Coastal Mountains Range on the west and facing the Pacific Ocean on the east, Chenggon is a village of fishery. Every morning, hauls of seafood are freshly delivered to Chenggon Harbor. Many food lovers are attracted to visit by its reputation, for enjoying the sailfish sashimi or seafood cuisine. Next to the township is a famed spot, Sansiantai, which is also a hot attraction for the sightseers.
2. Summary of Our Project
Taitung, with spectacular natural ecosystems and abundant marine resources, is the backyard of Taiwan. On the roadway of the east coast, the coastline is endlessly extended down to the horizon. We can say that ocean is a part of our life. However, we always share the beautiful seashore, but we rarely get close to it. Most of the tourists visit Taitung just for sightseeing, taking photos or collecting rare stones of Taitung along the coast. Seldom of them would notice that Taitung is also a place suitable for surfing. In recent years, Donghe has been becoming a popular spot of surfing. However, the only thing is that the people who come for surfing are mostly enthusiast surfers rather than the tourists with a special surfing trip. Therefore, in order to fertilize local tourism and popularize surfing, we organize a research group, including three teachers and seven students. We firstly search and gather the surfing knowledge on the internet. And then practically learn how to paddle, catch wave and take off. Through surveying the local condition and resources and investigating the needs of the visitors, the itinerary of the travelers can be thoughtfully scheduled. Thus, the tourists who have interest in surfing can be attracted to surf in Taitung. By which, the local tourism can be prospered as well.
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):
One computer classroom is arranged in our school, with twenty-eight computers for course usage. Each classroom is also equipped with one computer as well as WiFi access. Besides, thirty-five digital cameras are offered by corporate donation for the students. During researching this program, students firstly collect the information by the computers or the tablets at home or in the computer classroom at school. Thereafter, the students discuss and integrate the results, and then design the website together.
4. Problems We Had To Overcome
Lesson 1: Fear Overcoming This project requires students to swim in the sea. In our group, however, there is only one studentwho has swimming skills while the other six students barely do so. Even though the coach pointed out that swimming is not a necessity for surfing, on the day we went surfing at the beach ofDuli, the occasional monsoon was greatly windy and the waves were bumpy and choppy, which made a successful take-off become more difficult. Watching the waves hitting the shore over and over, the fear spontaneously came across the mind. At the beginning in the water, the students had several sips of the salty seawater and variouswipeouts on the surfing board. Despite of which, instructed deliberately by coach Hsieh, they were able to control the board progressively and started to enjoy the pleasure of surfing. Little by little, the dread of open water had been conquered eventually. The students now have more acquaintance with surfing and all have a passion for it.
Lesson 2: Anxiety about Safety from the Parents The students all live in the fishing village close to the sea. The common occupation of most parents is fishing, but they hardly agree their children to play at the beach. They consider that water activities are dangerous and are also anxious about the safety of this surfing project.Hence, the parents all keep an opinion of hesitation in the first place. However, after the advisory teachersthoroughlyillustratethe plan of the surfing projectthatwill be progressed step by step in a safe way for the students to experience surfing, the parents turn to have a positive attitude. Besides, the parents are also invited to attend the tuitionwith the students. Subsequently, the project is supported by the parents and the students are now more confident about the activity.
5. Our Project Sound Bite
In order to coordinate the policy of Ministry of Education, the elementary schools organizeaquatic self-rescue class every semester to evoke the awareness and the attraction of the students toward water activities. Among all water sports, surfing is one of the most popular activities, featuring of pure,easy-to-launch, and self-rescue. In recent years, Taitung government has dedicated to popularizing “International Surfing Festival.”Among which, the crew of this project have an honor to getacquainted with the swimming coach, Hsieh Yi-Hsuan, who is also a master in surfing.Invited passionately by the crew, coach Hsieh agrees to join the project and to lead the students experiencing surfing. “Surfing is the best way to get close to the ocean,” said coach Hsieh.
6. How did your activities and research for this CyberFair Project support standards, required coursework and curriculum standards?
1.Educativefield: Digitalize the investigating results by the information appliance; design the map of surfing spots by utilizing graphic process software; integrate the materials and construct the website
2.Linguistic field: Compose project proposal;record and train interview skills; improve ability to answer readily
3.Social field: Inquire community; design map of surf spots; familiarize community
4.Physical training field: Skateboard on land training; surfing exercise at sea; repeatedly practice; modify movement and self-challenging
5.Artistic field: Design creative surfing totem;embellish graphics by image processing software
6.Comprehensive field: Integratethe materials from interview, internet and books; learn how to access public resources; practice lifeetiquette; engage cooperation and cohesion in the group
7.Environmental field: Combine local marine resources; recognize safe water area along east coast of Taiwan; identify the variation in tide and ocean current
During elaborating the project, the students deliberativelyutilize their skills learnedfrom the schooland apply into the topic. Besides, the advisory teacher also let the students freely manage the contents of the project, such as selecting topic, area and community interview. As a result, this project is completed collaboratively by all the members in the group.
|