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1. Description of Our Community
Zhunan Snake Kiln is located in Miaoli County, in the central region of Taiwan. This traditional snake kiln was hand-built around 1972 by the master potter Lin Tyan-fu. In its early years, it served as a vital ceramic production hub in Miaoli, primarily manufacturing daily-use pottery. During the 1980s, in response to shifting market demands, the kiln transitioned toward folk art ceramic creation, laying the foundation for its future cultural direction.The 1990s brought unprecedented survival challenges as cheap, durable, and lightweight materials like plastic and stainless steel became ubiquitous. However, through the persistence and vision of the second-generation leadership, Zhunan Snake Kiln was not only preserved but transformed into a cultural park that integrates tourism, education, and art—giving this ancient kiln a new lease on life.Today, by hosting the International Chawan Festival and showcasing its Guinness World Record, the park has significantly boosted its cultural visibility, promoting Taiwan's unique pottery and kiln culture to the world.
2. Summary of Our Project
This project explores the Zhunan Snake Kiln and its significant contributions to Miaoli and Taiwan through a multifaceted approach, including literature research, video analysis, field studies, DIY workshops, expert interviews, and guided tours. Through an intensive one-day field study, students personally visited the site to understand how traditional kiln-firing techniques integrate with ceramic artistry, tea culture, and art education, fostering a deep connection with local humanities and industries.By hosting the triennial International Chawan Festival, Zhunan Snake Kiln brings together diverse media—such as floral arts, music, crafts, and calligraphy—providing a platform for international dialogue and exchange among ceramic artists. This initiative promotes Taiwan’s tea arts and ceramic culture on a global stage, transforming a once utility-oriented kiln industry into a hub for cultural artistic creation. As the kiln industry regains its brilliance and vitality, it moves steadily toward the goals of sustainable development and cultural preservation, making a profound impact on both Miaoli and the broader Taiwanese 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:2-3
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
(A) Determine the theme and direction: In the early stage of brainstorming about the theme, we first collected relevant local information and listed the topics we were interested in first. Before the final decision of the topic, everyone has to use 3 minutes to introduce the key points of the topic and the reasons for conducting research to our teammates. It is very challenging to brief the key points in a short time and seek support from classmates.
(B) Data classification and collection: Before our on-the-spot visit to Zhunan Snake Kiln , we have collected a lot of relevant information through the Internet, but because the amount of the information is plentiful but complicated, we must first discuss to spot our focus and the direction of the topic that everyone wants to present, and through the mind diagrams and tree diagrams, etc., we classified and sorted out the key points.
(C) Interview preparation and simulation: Another challenge for us is how to collect the information we need, ask in-depth questions to the interviewees, and use interview tools correctly within the limited time on the day of the survey. Through discussion, we sorted out the questions that we were curious and interested in, and recorded them as the basis for the interview. Before the survey, we practiced how to collect first-hand complete records through simulated conversation exercises and training in the use of audio-visual tools.
(D) Team synergy and collaboration: When we first participated in this topic, we all had our own ideas, and we didn't have a great tacit understanding in terms of theme decision, web page structure, and division of labor. Through discussion and communication time after time, we gradually cultivated a good understanding, and finally we were able to present the complicated information into a complete website through a systematic structure.
5. Our Project Sound Bite
By participating in the Cyberfair, students deepened their connection to their hometown and the local pottery art industry. Through research and field studies, they realized their own potential to promote and preserve this heritage. To conclude the project, the school provided a platform for students to share their findings. Using brochures and live presentations, they educated their peers, uniting the school and community in a shared mission to protect and pass down the Zhunan Snake Kiln legacy.
6. How did your activities and research for this CyberFair Project support standards, required coursework and curriculum standards?
In this special topic and webpage production, both students and teachers can experience the advantages of digital learning. Through collecting, classifying and integrating data on the Internet, and then deepening the impression through on-site interviews and personal experiences, the students extended learning from the classroom to the outside. On the Google platform, the students engage in classifying data, integrating and completing the research structure, and then present the data systematically on the web. These learning and growth are difficult to achieve in traditional teaching. This time, it made us learn that the vast network resources can surely bring us a broader perspective. Through setting common goals, starting a plan, a lot of brainstorming and interactive discussions in the process, and solving problems together, both students and teachers all benefit in the aspects, including knowledge and operational skills.
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