School: Shin Shing elementary school
    Lugang town, Changhua, Taiwan

7 students, ages 11-12 worked together to complete this CyberFair project on March 18, 2005. They have participated in CyberFair in the following year(s): 2005

Classes and Teachers: Mr. Wun, Mr. Hsu, and Mr. Chen and students of 5A

E-Mail contact:

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

1. Description of Our Community

As a small township in the west seashore of Taiwan, Lugang used to be the second largest city in Taiwan. Lugang has been famous of its historical landmarks in Taiwan. For the past two years, lots of the projects have been portrayed for its beauty of historical landmarks. However, the glorious history has gone. People of the township now work on different kinds of job, although some of them still participates those kinds of work related to historical cultural. Comparing its prosperity in 150 years ago, Lugang remained a population of 60 thousand. Most of people in Lugang make their living by agriculture and manufacturing crafts. Since Lugang was famous of its historical landmarks, the tourists in Taiwan and foreign countries came from different place to admire its beauty. People in this township are friendly, and you will feel the hospitality developed by traditional Chinese culture here.

2. Summary of Our Project

Project Lugang used to be the second largest city in Taiwan, but it has lost its reputation for a long time. During its golden years, Lugang was the largest harbor in central Taiwan. Lots of trade happened in the streets of Lugang. Among the streets, one of them was famous for its roof. Imagine that, a street with a roof?? However, the roof has been removed. As we try to probe the trace of the street, we find something unexpected to be fascinating on why there was a roof in the street. Through an overview of the development of Lugang harbor, you could understand how smart the merchants of Lugang were. Moreover, we find lot of similar examples all over the world. By reviving the dead street, we want to show the life of Lugang's golden years. Also, the structure of the street and street house is very unique and fascinating that deserves a notice. At last, we would like to give some suggestions of how to preserve the story of the street.

3. Our Computer and Internet Access

A. Percentage of students using the Internet at home:21-50%

B. Number of workstations with Internet access in the classroom:more than 6

C. Connection speed used in the classroom:dial-up modem

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):

Computers are basic equiments for every class, and teachers have computers for their special use. Also, students enjoy their computer lessons in computer lab which equips with T1 ADSL by Chunghua Telecom. Most of our research was made in our school computer, but students were required to finish their assignments at home if necessary.

4. Problems We Had To Overcome

(1) Selecting the topic: our members were interested in different topic like Lugang folk art museum, Lugang folk art and craft festival, and “No sky “street area in the beginning, but there remained no decisive conclusion after members meeting. Worst of all, Teacher Hsu, executor of this project, received his on-the-job training for 2 months, and postponed our conclusion of topic. At last, Teacher Hsu felt “No sky” street area would be a fascinating topic worthwhile our attention to put efforts on.

(2) Recruiting the members: the problem of insufficient labors became a heavy burden after selecting the topic. At first, our team had Teacher Hsu and four students as key members. To accomplish our project, we had to recruit more powerful partners. As our members had their consensus in choosing new powerful members, Teacher Hsu and students decided to find their ideal partners to work with us separately. Due to teachers and students were engaged in different activities, it was hard for us to find our comrades. At last, two teachers and three students were invited to join this project. All the members being positioned, our research began.

(3) Search for “No sky”: comparing with other historical landmarks in Lugang, “No sky” street area can be a contrast to others. As “No sky” has been totally in destruction, little resource was found. The limited data we had were a few books, gossips and website retelling the same context, and we usually get several usable lines after hard labor of surfing on the Internet. Since the data resources were limited, obtaining the data became the greatest challenge for our team.

5. Our Project Sound Bite

Our crews were aimed to enlarge our point of view by joining cyberfair as well as our basic understanding of our culture. However, performance of our students surprised use. It was not only they pass the ordeal from their teachers, but enhance their own personal ability. Besides, we do experience the pity of historical landmarks disappearance through activities in completing the project. This project is a sweet memory for all of the members. The learning experience is new and we had a great time.

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

According to Taiwan’s elementary school curriculum (Grade 1-9 integrated curriculum), teachers have to integrate all the relative teaching lessons in different teaching subjects. This research has integrated all the lessons about “No sky” street in the following subjects:

(1) Chinese: lots of the information in this research contained of old Chinese was relatively hard for students to understand, and students were forced to ask for help. Through asking their teacher, they strengthen their literacy ability. Moreover, the summarization of research data also helps them to enlarge their ability in composition writing.

(2) Social studies: One of the units in our students’ social studies was “Memories to the past”, and it tells the story of how our ancestors made their living in the island. Taking opportunity of research, we asked our students to explore information about the history of Lukang harbor. We also asked them to find it in the library, internet, and field surveys, and students developed better understanding after finish their learning in the history of Lukang harbor.

(3) Art and Human science: All the façades in the Jhongshan road were precious treasure for us, and students had their ability in appreciating the beauty of them. Students were also demanded to draw pictures about the road, facades, and house structure, and they sure had a deep impression of the houses in the Jhongshan road. (Today’s “No sky” street”)

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

Image:

1.Digital camera: image of our interview and research process.

2. Camera: for the use of when digital camera is not usable.

3. DV: to create the video of our interviews.

4.Printer: output of image.

5.TV: output of image.

Sound:

1.Digital recorder: sound record of interview

2.Recorder: for the use when digital recorder is not workable.

Communication:

1.Phone: negotiation and communication for implementing interviews or getting information.

2. Computers: email and MSN to communicate with others

3.Cell phone: communication of interview or crew.

Data collection:

1. Computer: surf on the net, data analysis, and learning.

2. Newspaper: reading and reorganizing data.

3. Books: reading and reorganizing data.

4. Software: compiling documents, images, sounds and creating webpage.

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

(1) Interview: We visited several street houses in the “No sky” street area. We also made good use of interviews to have a better understanding of the beauty of “No sky” street area. Moreover, we offer some suggestions for reviving of “No Sky” street area in our interview with town mayor.

(2) Field survey: During the field survey, we met a lot of people who live in the street and asked us what this project is all about. We explained to them the importance of preservation of historical landmarks, and we also told students of our school the outcome of field survey to let them understand the problem of our historical landmarks.

(3) Parental participation: Although most of the parents only took part in the picking up their children in the beginning, they began to engage in the activities as we encourage them to work with us. The experience is sweet, and they respond that they learn something from this project.

(4) Questionnaire: Our crew carried out a questionnaire to understand students’ concept about “No sky” street area. We first developed a questionnaire, and then asked students of the fifth grader and their parents to respond to the questionnaire. At last, we analyzed and explained the questionnaire to them.

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

(1) Wisdom of our ancestor: we have never ever thought about that the reason for developing the “No sky” street is to create a “guest first” shopping environment, and we are much even sure about the wisdom of our ancestors in comparison to other examples in Taiwan or worldwide. Through the consensus of residents in the street, they created the glory history of Lukang harbor by their wise decision.

(2) Extension of learning experience: The goal of the project was aimed to let students have a new learning experience, and they do. Through interviews, surfing on the net, and lots activities of research, they do enjoy a brand new extension of learning experience.

(3) Teamwork: It is our first time in joining the contest of cyberfair, and we do not have lots of experience to organize our team. In the beginning, teachers and students were not quite used to work with each other. However, our team members got more and more enjoyable in cooperating with each other. The outcome of teamwork, the project, tells everything.

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

We firstly encouraged our member’s students to pick up their children during the research process, but they were even much more involved in the project as the research went on. Besides, parents of the fifth grader were invited to investigate their understanding of the “No sky” street. Some of the parents were demanding the school to have an addition of relative curriculum. We interviews with lots of people in the Jhongshan road alone with the process of research, and all of them were much impressive of our research. Finally, we interviewed and gave our suggestions to the town’s mayor how we thought in reviving the “No sky” street.

5) Discoveries, Lessons and Surprises (Optional)

In the beginning, our team merely wanted to solve the mystery of “No sky”. Surprisingly, team members found out that the development of “No sky” street area was an outcome of our ancestor’s wisdom. Above all, we understood how the street was built and the beauty of the street. We experienced how our ancestor planned the area and cooperated with each others, and they created a comfortable shopping environment for the sake of their customers. It was amazing that people had such a great commercial concept in two or three hundred years ago. Also, the “No sky” is not a “No sky” which all the members would surely do not have thought of that before they started the project.