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1. Description of Our Community
Linkou's Zhongzheng Road Old Street was designated as the 'Zhongzheng Road Art District' in 2003. In its early days, Linkou's entire development was closely tied to the Zhongzheng Road commercial district. The street features traditional establishments like blacksmith shops, saw blade stores, and ice dessert parlors, alongside modern businesses catering to younger generations such as bubble tea shops, clothing stores, and lifestyle retailers. There are also hardware stores and traditional markets, creating a mix of old and new. This blend symbolizes Linkou's transformation from an area dominated by brick kilns to an industrial zone, and now into a new urban township.
2. Summary of Our Project
To preserve traditional culture and promote the beauty of brick craftsmanship, our project focuses on the history and artistic value of brick kilns in Linkou. As Zhongzheng Road Old Street represents the transformation of Linkou from a brick kiln industry to a modern township, we aim to highlight the cultural significance of bricks in shaping the local economy and architecture. Through educational activities, exhibitions, and interactive experiences such as tabletop game design, we hope to raise awareness about the disappearing art of brick-making and inspire innovation in its application in contemporary society.
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):
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): Currently, our school provides us with an adequate e-learning environment. Not only do we have two well-equipped computer labs available for our use, but each teacher is also provided with a desktop computer for his or her personal use. In addition, there is Wi-Fi throughout the entire school.The students who participated in this year have 5th and 6th grades. They all take information courses and use chromebooks in this project. Exchange data with each other through Google Drive.
4. Problems We Had To Overcome
Preserving cultural traditions is a challenging but meaningful goal. One of our main difficulties was raising awareness and interest in traditional brick kiln craftsmanship among younger generations, as modern society often overlooks these historical arts. Additionally, gathering firsthand information required extensive field research, including interviews with local artisans and visits to historical sites. We also faced challenges in integrating our findings into engaging educational materials, such as tabletop games, to make learning more interactive. However, through teamwork, perseverance, and the use of digital tools, we overcame these obstacles and successfully presented our research.
5. Our Project Sound Bite
Since its establishment six years ago, we have been studying at Cambridge International School's Linkou campus. From the very beginning, the school has upheld the belief of 'thinking globally while being rooted in Taiwan', striving to nurture us into socially responsible global citizens. With this vision in mind, our project aims to introduce Linkou’s cultural heritage to students worldwide who come to Cambridge. Through our research, we hope to deepen their understanding of Linkou’s history and foster a stronger connection to this evolving community.
6. How did your activities and research for this CyberFair Project support standards, required coursework and curriculum standards?
During our participation in the International Schools CyberFair, we applied both qualitative and quantitative research methods. Qualitative research involved conducting interviews with local blacksmiths to gain an in-depth understanding of traditional ironworking techniques, while quantitative research included surveys to assess public awareness and attitudes toward blacksmithing culture. In class, we first explored the webpages of past CyberFair participants and used mind maps to organize our research topics. From the eight themes of CyberFair, we chose 'Traditional Craftsmanship' and focused on blacksmithing in Linkou’s Kangqiao community. We gathered secondary sources, analyzed data, and identified information gaps to refine our research questions and delegate tasks among team members. Since blacksmithing involves forging techniques, tool evolution, cultural significance, and modern applications, teamwork was essential to ensure comprehensive data collection. Finally, we conducted on-site visits to blacksmith workshops, documenting their work process and learning about the differences between traditional hand-forging and modern mechanized production. This research helped us improve our critical thinking, research methodologies, teamwork, and digital literacy, while also aligning with curriculum standards in social studies, history, information technology, and language arts.
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