School: National Overseas Chinese Experimental Senior High
    Banqiao City, Taipei County, Taiwan, The Replulic of China

23 students, ages 16-18 worked together to complete this CyberFair project on December 29, 2003. They have participated in CyberFair in the following year(s): 2000, 2002, 2003

Classes and Teachers: Lee Mut-Seng, Chen Shi-Hua, Carol Lee

E-Mail contact:

Our School's Web Site: http://www.nocsh.tpc.edu.tw/cyberdc2004/index.htm

1. Description of Our Community

“Our community” in the project refers to the Ban-qiao, and Xin-zhuang area .In Taiwan’s early history, these two areas are closely related in their economy, culture, and society. However, we focus on our research instead of the religion, which plays a most significant role in the daily lives of the people. By studying people’s belief in Wen-Chang, “the God of Examinations”, we can also explore how College Entrance Exams and other assessments affect our life. Through our research, we wish to help readers be more aware of Wen Chang. We have spent one year gathering information about assessments, Wen-Chang Temple, people’s belief in Wen Chang all over Taiwan, and pictures involving them, are all dedicated to our beloved homeland of Taiwan.

2. Summary of Our Project

When the season of examinations draws near, students study around the clock for higher grades. Other than studying hard, most learners, as well as their parents, will go to Wen Chang to plead for superior grades and to request for fortuity. But why do they set off to Wen Chang prior to taking tests? Is it a superstition? Is it a source of consolation? Or is it as the proverb goes, “you pray, and God grants”? What do we know about the connection between Wen Chang and assessments? With these questions in mind, we started our research and exploration. Although Wen Chang Temple is a local belief, the temple is a “must go” for both students and their parents. Wen Chang entirely relates to students’ performance in the evaluation, which has been the apprehension of students, parents, and even people worldwide. For example, people predominantly in East Asian countries, like people in Taiwan, have the same conviction. Taking exams is an experience we all have to face. No matter how well-prepared we are, we are anxious and under great hassle. Fortunately, the Wen Chang Temple provides a “promised land” for examinees, who convince themselves that they are blessed by Wen Chang and thus feel assuaged. Although we don’t depend on Wen Chang for triumph when we take an assessment, Wen Chang does help to soothe the tension we feel previous to taking a test. It is factual that how one feels on the test influences how one performs on the test. This is an incident mutual among most people. We go to Wen Chang not to guarantee our victory but to pursue tranquility in our minds. The only way to triumph is to never give up, because “Where there is a will, there is a successful exam.”

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:4-6

E. Additional comments concerning your computer and/or Internet access (Optional):

Our team group uses the network in the school. We think it is convenient and comfort to use internet and access the data what we want and research the data we had found. Besides, we settle down our meeting in the school library, which it provide lots of computer and software for our team to finish our project. During the internet access, we have to manage the data. We spent most of our time surfing the Internet on our school computers. Quick and efficient Internet use is unquestionably a great advantage! However, it is difficult to seek and assemble statistics swiftly and precisely. It took us a great amount of time to accumulate and arrange the materials. We were ambitious to amass accurate, comprehensive, meticulous and alluring data because we yearn to provide everyone worldwide with an ideal Web Site on Wen Chang.

4. Problems We Had To Overcome

Difficulties subsist in anything we execute. We faltered many times. Our ultimate accomplishment resulted from incessant failure after failure. Before we finished the project, we encountered many hindrance and complications. However, by perseverance, we finally broke through and made it. We surfed the Net for temples all over Taiwan for data on Wen Chang temples. We kept the record of the date of construction of the temple, its manager, their telephone number, and the address. Some of the data was so intricate to find that we couldn’t have a full compilation of what we require. We surfed the internet for countless temples and city halls. However, even though time was running out , we were still a distance from completion. In the end, fortuitously Mr. Lin Dao-Hong, the former director of the temple, showed up to help us out. With his assistance we finally managed to bring the data collection to a close. Since we collected data from as far as East Asia, overseas languages was an immense barrier. Luckily, our school is specially made for overseas students, and we were dependent on Korean and Japanese students to help us out. As the proverb goes, “There is no true difficulty in this world, only people with or without will.” As long as we have the zeal to succeed, everything is possible. This is our source of motivation and determination Afterthoughts: We fought a bitter war with this project , but we fought to the end , and broke through the enemy lines! With a determined heart, we made our dreams come true!

5. Our Project Sound Bite

The attendance of the Intrernational Schools Cyberfair provides our students the chance to develop their abilties of handling the English competence and introduce the Wen Chung to all over the world, which there are countries with different cultures and customs toward the attitude and viewpointt about examination.

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

This project corresponds with religious conviction, and therefore it gave us an opportunity to learn ancient history. We also learned how to collaborate, uncover and investigate data, and interview important people. We learned the etiquettes of conversations, the spirit of teamwork, and most importantly, the spirit of cooperation. Furthermore, this project is closely related with the daily lives of the people. The Taiwanese culture, especially its custom, has a lot to do with religious faith. In Taiwan, even students go to temples to worship. For students, tests, especially the essential ones, always come with inevitable pressure. In Taiwan, even if the JCEE is cancelled, students are still under the stress from nationwide tests, such as The Proficiency Test and The Required Subjects Test. Thus, during testing seasons, tons of students pour into the temple to pray for a high grade. To further understand this occurrence, we studied Wen Cheng Temple, which is associated with the life of high school students. As high school students, we are especially involved in study testing seasons, Wen Chang temples worldwide, and nationwide tests in other countries. With our research, we intend to introduce Wen Chang in a more vivacious way and give readers a new perspective on the issue. Although the Internet is faster and more convenient to search for data, it is not as systematic and traditional as flipping through books. The data on the Internet is scattered, unorganized, and needs a great amount of time to tidy and sort them out. Thus, we can’t rely on only a single source; we must count on both the Internet and books to be more resourceful.

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

1. Computers 20--Used to search for data, organize data, create the website; supplied by school. 2. Laptops 4--To search data, create web pages, organize data; portable and convenient; supplied by school 3. Scanners 2--To scan photos and maps 4. Printers 3--To print the data and circulate it 5. Digital Cameras 2--To take pictures; supplied by school and students 6. Others--Internet, webpage editing software, image editing software, Newspaper clippings, magazines, synopsizes, the library, interviewing, conference room, and a computer classroom

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

Through our exploration, we’d like to show gratitude to Mr. Lin Dao-Hong, a commission member of the place of worship, for his great support and copious data. After our visit, not only did he give us statistics we desired, he also supplied us with atypical information, since we are the only team accepted by the administrators of the temple, who received us mainly due to Mr. Lin Dao-Hong’s fervor and Mr. Chen Qing-Jie’s proposal. Also we’d like to give our thanks to the administrators of the temple for permitting us to walk around the temple liberally. We’d also like to thank the City Hall’s escritoire, who gave us vital guidance, and offered old pictures and information about early Xin-Zhuang for us. Finally, we’d like to express gratitude to Xin-Zhuang Elementary School’s principal, Mr. Li Qin-Ming for his supplementary facts on Xin-Zhuang, which allowed us to be amplify and expand our knowledge capacity! Furthermore, we’d like to thank Da-Guan Junior High school, our neighbor, which displayed our posters on their campus, allowing everyone there to be informed of our mission. Finally, we’d like to thank many teachers for their altruistic contribution of their comprehension. With their support, we were able to venture deeper into the understanding of Wen Chang. Additionally, we paid visits to the designer of Lu-Horse temple, Mr. Su Tian-S, and its sculptor, Mr. Lai Shei-Rong, both of whom supplied witness to the information we gathered. They enlightened us that although a sculpture may seem simple, it is the consequence of uphill struggle and arduous toil, which allows Xin-Zhuang’s Wen Chang temple to shine in grandeur and brilliance.

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

During the course of this project, we stumble across a lot of experiences, allowing us to mature and grow. Why? It’s because we learned many things, such as computer skills, understanding, teamwork and reliance. Not only did we advance our superficial appearances, we also enhanced our inner beauty. Although the topic is “Xin-Zhuang’s” Wen Chang temple, we also studied temples even way outside its limits. We voyaged the whole Taiwan for this project, from Xin-Zhuang all the way to every corner of Taiwan in the hope of abetting people to view Wen Chang from different angles. We provided a wide range of information about Wen Chang and we wish to help readers to view it from an easily assessable Web Site. Our Web Site elucidates what students should bring as offerings when they set out to the temple to entreat for luck and the symbols of each donation. Through this study, we look forward to bringing people together more intimately, when people have a better perceptive of Wen Chang who have existed with us for more than one thousand years.

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

1. Students-- 60% --helping with the interrogation, taking photographs, recording the interviews, proofreading &editing, submitting the questions for interviewing, drawing up the schedule, gathering data and discussing the topic and the title of the project. 2. Instructors--20%--summoning the conference, analyzing and organizing data, instructing the creating of web page, instructing the drawing of the schedule and the title of the project, computer guidance. 3..The interviewees--5%--Su Tian-S (responsible for the figurines of deities), Lai Shei-Rong ( the sculptor ), Lin Dao- Hong 4.Providing data and photos--Members of Xin-Zhuang Wen Chang Temple,Lin Dao-Hong, Chen Qing-Jie, the Manager, The temple’s two executives, Xin-Zhuang City Hall’s secretary, Li Qin-Ming ,Xin-Zhuang Elementary school principal, Su Tian-S,Lai Shei-Rong 5. Da Guan Junior High School

5) Discoveries, Lessons and Surprises (Optional)

It goes without saying that examinations are a very important event for Chinese students. When the season of exam is coming, lots of students go to the temple to pray for the success of passing exam. However, this phenomena just appears in few months. One the one hand, students are eager to pass the exam and on the other hand, students try to get help from religious power, a god, who can give a bless to them in the exam. It's a kind of paradox. It is needless to say that religion is a way to sooth those people who have broken heart or in need of help. Thus, it's the same to students that they all need to be comforted by way of some kind of religious belief. Students can therefore calm down and do they best to prepare their exam and study hard to pass the exam. That's also why we make our topic as 'Where there is a will, there is a successful exam'. Hopefully, we all wish students to pass the exam and furthermore, we also want people to know more about the helper, the god, Wen chang, who had accompany with students from ancient times till now for hundreds of years.