School: Taipei Shiu-Deh Primary School
    Taipei City, Taiwan, Taiwan

6 students, ages 10-11 years old worked together to complete this CyberFair project on March 20, 2003. They have participated in CyberFair in the following year(s): none

Classes and Teachers: Tien Shu-Ching; Hsiao Yu-Chi; Wu Ching-Liang; 5th graders

E-Mail contact:

Our School's Web Site: http://www.sdps.tp.edu.tw

1. Description of Our Community

Our community is located in the northern Taiwan. It is a pity to think about the fading of many traditional arts, some of them even disappeared. Among them Yueju opera, an art originating from mainland China, has been gradually promoted in Taiwan recently. Understanding Yueju opera, we can not only widen the field of the traditional operas and musicals but also realize its change with time. Yueju has been modified in Taiwan by injecting local arts into it to meet local flavor. It is different from the original one. To enhance the traditional arts, we have conducted the Yueju opera studies for quite a while. We hope these arts can be inherited from generation to eneration by means of Cyberfairs, which combine traditions with technologies. In the meantime considering what value traditional arts are and what children can learn and experience may create another style of art to our local community.

2. Summary of Our Project

Yueju opera is famous all over the world but people know just a little in Taiwan at present. In the light of its art value, it is worthwhile to make it popular. The feature of Yueju opera is mainly based on reality and daily life. In this project we present the history, development, and features of Yueju opera by texts, graphics, and audio-video multimedia files. We also introduce some key persons who contribute to the promotion of Yueju opera in Taiwan. Through our introduction and research we hope everyone can appreciate this precious traditional art and the value of colorful Chinese culture.

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:4-6

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):

All computers in the classroom can be connected to the Internet using ADSL service provided by ChungHwa Telecom. Each classroom has its own computer(s). A local area network has been set up in our school. Many students use the Internet at home with limited bandwidth (slow modem speeds), so most of our studies have to be done at the computer classrooms with higher bandwidth. Teachers and students conduct the studies during the lunch break or after class. We also put a discussion board on the Internet for this project. Students can do their research or communicate each other at home using this board.

4. Problems We Had To Overcome

1. Technical obstacles Student's basic computer skills, such as web page editing, data searching on the Internet, digital equipment operation, etc., were limited at the beginning of the project. So teachers designed an intensive course to help the students acquire these skills in a short time. They were interested in learning and became involved in the project very soon. 2. Time Time was a big problem we encountered. Because this project started lately, it was not easy to handle time management under such tight schedule. Furthermore there were too many activities for students either in school or after school. Time allocation for the project had to be carefully planned so that it would not have an impact on student's schoolwork. Later on interviews could only be done on holidays. Time management was a big challenge to us then. To cope with these difficulties, we put a discussion board for this project on the Internet and assigned student tasks based on job breakdown. After that the limitation of time and space did not exist. Students could manage themselves and make progress. 3. Language Yueju opera is originated from a regional opera in Mainland China, so it also carries its dialect feature that is hard to catch. In addition the information we get on the Internet is written in concise Chinese characters that are different from complex Chinese characters we use in Taiwan. Luckily Miss Zhou Mimi, our Yueju teacher, teaches us the dialect and concise Chinese characters. They are not problems to us anymore. 4. Interviews At the beginning of the project students did not well in communications and interviews for lack of training and experience. They could not catch the main points to get the key information. After learning by doing and teacher's guiding, they were familiar with the interview skills and they could use digital cameras and pencoders to help them edit the reports.

5. Our Project Sound Bite

Through this project the students have learned how to work in a team, overcome difficulties, and challenge themselves in addition to more understanding of the essentials and art values of Yueju Opera. This is really a big project, which the students had never tried before. Many difficulties faced and needed to take actions. With enthusiasm and patience, they did a great job and learned a lot.

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

From the viewpoint of the integrated 9 year curriculum standards designed by the Ministry of Education: [Arts and Humanities] This project can lead us to appreciate the diversity of performing arts and the essentials of traditional arts. We also have learned a lot from the costumes, stage setting, and the music of Yueju opera. [Languages] Yueju opera is sung in Shanghai dialect. From it we can understand the variety of Chinese language and dialects. [Social studies] Traditional arts are fading in Taiwan. In these studies we realize the importance of culture heritage with changing environment. [6 main issues] Education of information technology is one of the 6 main issues. Different topics can be presented widely and more attractive with the help of information technologies. Students can have fun with digital learning. How to incorporate tradition with creation is more important. Sexual indiscrimination and respect were also attained by means of communications and interactions between boys and girls when they were executing the project. 1. What new skills did you learn? Students have learned web page editing and how to use the computer and its peripherals, cooperation, teamwork, and communication skills. Teachers have learned project planning, work breakdown, time management, progress monitoring and controlling. 2. What group concepts did you practice? Executing the project based on cooperation, individual specialties, consensus, and teamwork. 3. How does your project fit into the requirements for your school or class? We have set up a Yueju Opera club in the school. This project can provide the club with lots of useful information in the mean time the activities of the club can be propagated to the outside world through the project. 4. Has using the Internet for teaching and learning been more effective than traditional methods? If so, explain? Yes, it is. We can share information with others around the world without temporal or spatial restrictions.

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

. number and type of computers : 10; type-Pentium III 600 . telephones including cellular phones : 8 . VCD : 60pcs . video and digital still cameras: 5 . digitizers and scanners : 4 . tape recorders including pencorders : 3 . Internet video or other teleconferencing : 1 discussion board (room) on the Internet for conference . type computer software Office 2000, wordpad, notepad, Photoshop, Photoimpact, ACDSee, CPMagi3, Frontpage, Dreamweaver, Namo Webeditor, Flash, Swish, Powerdirector, Digital sound recorder. . libraries: 2 and 1 virtual on-line database of Taipei schools . books, newspapers : 20 . performances by others : 4 . oral interviews : 6 . VCD/DVD player : 6 . printers : 6

1. How did these tools help you? These tools helped us find information or collect pictures and movies faster and richer. They made the project perfect and carefully presented. 2. Where did you locate each tool? From school, parents, students, teachers, and professionals. 3. What were your most valuable tools? Why? [Search Engine] The databases of Taipei schools and major search engines provide a gateway to a successful knowledge manipulation. [Oral interview] Through interview, we can get valuable information and experiences which books never share. 4. Which technologies were the most helpful? How? Internet is. It helps us share our information with others around the world in a convenient way by breaking temporal and spatial barriers.

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

All team members participating this project are "ambassadors". They often got together to discuss the problems and visit professionals. Among them our instructor, Miss Zhou Mimi, did very well. She took us to the National Theater and Tao Yuan county and gave us many opportunities to perform on the stage. Through such presentations, the traditional art of Yueju opera can be promoted and disseminated. In addition, many parents voluntarily spent time in driving, costumes and props arrangement, making up, contacting, and English translation, etc.

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

More and more people in our community can appreciate the beauty of Yueju opera on the Internet. Our project has given them a favorable impression, which will keep their interest on Yueju opera forever. 1. Have people in your community learned new things through your Web pages? Yueju opera was little known in our community in the past. With an effort we have put the Yueju opera on stage and on the Internet time after time. People in our community began to take interest in it. By doing this, we hope the quality of life in our community can be enhanced. 2. Have other people around the world learned new things about your community? Through the promotion of Yueju opera on the Internet, we anticipate the feedbacks from people around the world because it is a totally new experience to them. Using Yueju opera as a bridge, we are eager to communicate with the outside world and let us know each other better.

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

Miss Zhou Mimi, a famous Yueju star, has been providing a great of assistance to us. Besides teaching more about the knowledge and carriage of Yueju opera, she shows us invaluable information, costumes, props, pictures, etc. for our reference. She also opens her wonderful house with lots of Yueju's treasures for our visiting. It is the happy time when we have an interview with Miss Zhou. She lives far away from us but she always drives us to her house. Other excellent helpers to our project such as Mr. Zhong and Mr. Yeh Wei-June, the teachers of the Tzai Xing Youth Yueju Opera Troupe, and Miss Wu Lily, the instructor of the Chinese Culture University, they kindly accepted our interview requests and offered us a lot of useful information. We are deeply indebted to them for their wonderful assistance.

5) Discoveries, Lessons and Surprises (Optional)

Our first involvement in the big project has taught us many things. Students have learned that time management, teamwork, perseverance, and bravery are the key elements to a successful project. In addition intellectual property has to be respected when quoting information from others. Teachers are surprised by the unbounded potential of the students participating in this project.