CyberFair Project ID: 2804

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International Schools CyberFair Project Narrative
Title: Fly Dragon
Category: 7. Environmental Awareness
URL: http://gsh.taiwanschoolnet.org/gsh2003/2804/index.htm
Bibliography: No bibliography page cited

School: Chang An
    Chang Hua, ChangHua County, Chang Hua

11 students, ages 14-16 worked together to complete this CyberFair project on February 14, 2003. They have participated in CyberFair in the following year(s): No

Classes and Teachers: Class207 of Chang An ; Wenlan Chian ; Shihyin Hsiao

E-Mail contact:

Our School's Web Site: http://163.23.66.66/wenlan/flower/index.htm

Project Overview

1. Description of Our Community

Changhua County is situated on the middle western part of Taiwan Island. Pakua Hill Landscape Area, the terrace at an elevation of 96 meter, is the main natural scenic resource of the county. Ascending to the hill makes a belt of good sightseeing for tourists. However, the spreading of Mikania micrantha Kouth is causing serious effects to the environment of Pakua Hill recently. We are trying to introduce this invasive plant to our citizens, and teach them how to reduce the impact of Mikania micrantha Kouth.

2. Summary of Our Project

Mikania micrantha Kouth, a notorious invasive plant naturally occurred in South America, was suspected as the culprit. Recently, this climbing plant is spreading widely in eastern Taiwan, where they are having serious impacts on the native wildlife of the reserve. We call them “forest killer”. By introducing the biological character of this viny plant and a general threat to the environment of Taiwan, we want to draw commons’ attentions to pay respect to the catastrophic effects of our environment. We hope that the display of this issue comes at a time of heightened concern and effective problem solving.

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:none

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):

We have 140 desktop computers,1 notebooks,7 Web servers in our school. 90 of them are used in teaching, and 40 of them are used in administration.

4. Problems We Had To Overcome

In order to let more people know the impact of Mikania micrantha Kouth, we decide to invite the specialist of Mikania micrantha Kouth, Mr.Yan, to give us a speech. The obstacles that we have faced including: 1.equipment: the shortage of outasite electron camera   2.speaker: it is hard to find the specialist of Mikania micrantha Kouth 3.speach content: to find a suitable content is difficult 4.expenditure: we have to ask our parents and friends for economic support

5. Our Project Sound Bite

By finishing this project, our students have been aroused the concern of the environment of our local community and try to disseminate this concern and awareness to the people around them. All they learned is not only the projects itself, but also the way to cooperate each other and to get outside help by themselves.

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

We attempt to understand the effect on the plentiful ecological distribution of adventive plants by collect the background, data, material of Mikania micrantha Kouth, which connected with the main idea of our new educational goal - learning center is students themselves. They learn a lot by manufacturing the website of their own and gain the knowledge of the damage of Mikania micrantha Kouth. We know that we can do by oneself without cooperation, so our students persist in the faith of teamwork. Trough fellowship and outside help, we align ourselves with each other, just fit the main idea of Cooperative Method. By making observations and inquiries, we know the damage caused by Mikania micrantha Kouth and we all have responsibility to publicize these information. We want to give a start to provide these massages, according to the efficiency of Website and Internet, which promote our working potency materially, we have been impressed with the importance and application of them.

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Project Elements

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

1. Equipment: a) Digital Video Camer b) Digital Still Camera c) CD- Burner d) Scanner e) V8 f) Camera g) Telephone h) Computer Software 2. Others: a) Libraries b) Oral Interviews

The equipment helped us record all the activities we have done, collect needed information, communicate with our group members, and construct homepages. Some parents of our group members supported us with all kinds of cameras, including DVCs, DSCs, and cameras. Our teacher, Wenlan and Reiyuan supplied us with financial support. Of course, our school gave us a big hand in computer software. The varieties of software allowed us to construct great and gorgeous homepages. Specially thanks for our parents because of their endurance to our members’ disturbance through telephone. We have three most valuable tools, two high-tech tools and one human resource. As for the technologies, we used Digital Video Camera / Digital Still Camera to record everything impressive and surprising about the damages by Mikania micrantha Kouth, and computers with Internet backed up our information research. Most important of all, our human resource was the most powerful tool we used in this project, since we had two energetic and professional teachers and so many public-minded group members and parents. We Chinese are famous for the harmony and human relation network among members. In our group, we cooperated and made an awesome harmony in negotiation with the parents and school administrators. That’s our empowered force that others are not able to compete.

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

I gave the students Teacher Yan’s phone number. So the team leader called Teacher Yan and invited him to give a speech at our school. Then the students requested him to take them to the spot and to make firsthand observations and inquiries. To visit our web site and you would know the details.

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

1.Yes. 2.Yes. 3.Yes. 4.Yes. Students’ parents and friends, the teachers at our school, and many other citizens in Changhua. 5.After the speech, many students were very interested in the topic. Especially the sample of Mikania micrantha Kouth, which Teacher Yan brought, was everyone’s favor. Everyone would like to touch it with his or her own hands. 6.Our web site provided them the information about Mikania micrantha Kouth, and most important of all, the ways to sweep away them and to reduce its damage of our environment.

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

The students’ parents volunteered to take us to Pakua Hill to learn the ecological crisis from Mikania micrantha Kouth. Teacher Yan’s speech helped the students and teachers at our school know a lot about it, too.

5) Discoveries, Lessons and Surprises (Optional)

When we were doing the research of Mikania micrantha Kouth, occasionally and surprisingly we found out that local Mikania cordate didn’t do any damage to the ecology in Taiwan at all. After our observations on the spot, we were really surprised at Mikania’s great power of damaging the ecology.

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View our CyberFair Project (Project ID: 2804)

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