School: Shipo elementary school
    Guan-yin , Taiwan, Taiwan

9 students, ages 11 worked together to complete this CyberFair project on March 15, 2004. They have participated in CyberFair in the following year(s): 2004

Classes and Teachers: Mr. Yang Hau-cheng, Miss Lin Jing-feng, and Miss Wang Ting-yi

E-Mail contact:

Our School's Web Site: http://www.spes.tyc.edu.tw

1. Description of Our Community

Guan-yin is in the northwest of Taoyuan County, facing the Taiwan Strait and bordering Ta-yuan, Chung-li and Shin-wu. Guan-yin consists of (1) Guan-yin Area (2) Tsau-ta Area (3) Shin-po Area. This countryside looks like a triangle with a coastline of fifteen kilometers that is the longest of all the four coastal towns in Taoyuan County.

During the Ching Dynasty, Taiwanese (people from the southern part of Fukien Province), and Hakkas (people moving from northern to southern China during periods of invasions by the northern tribes in Chinese history) immigrated to Guan-yin one after another. Taiwanese migrated here by way of Shiu-tsuo Fishing Port and Da-yuan in the north, while Hakkas settled here through Shin-ju area in the south. Thus, the three areas “Guan”, “Tsau-ta” and “Shin-po” were gradually developed. Each village formed its unique cultural characteristics. So the phenomena of development here were different from those in the other areas in Taoyuan County.

2. Summary of Our Project

The memories and joys of childhood are unforgettable forever. Parents often introduce traditional children’s folk games and toys to their kids. Though the games and toys might be somewhat clumsy, kids will be fascinated by the toy games once they know how to play.

3. Our Computer and Internet Access

A. Percentage of students using the Internet at home:less than 20

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:1

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

Our school network system adopts TANET scholastic cyber-net, linking Central University system by way of Taoyuan County network center. Members can surf the Internet by way of ADSL.

4. Problems We Had To Overcome

The major difficulty we encounter in the research process is the making of home page. Among our research group, only Meng-ru and Wan-ping have the experience of making home page, but they have basic skills only. Therefore, though we have tried our best to gather all the materials and to record the process of activities, we still have a hard time presenting them by way of the network. However, thanks to the aid of our computer instructor, who teaches us how to make use of computer hardware and software at noon break. The process is very tough, but we enjoy the fruits of our labors!

5. Our Project Sound Bite

I still remember the time when my teacher came to me. At first, I did not know what was going on until my teacher told me that we wanted to take part in the contest. Though I felt excited, I knew that I had to work very hard for a long time. Sometimes I feel like giving up, but my teacher always gives me timely support and encouragement. Now our job is going to be finished. I feel grateful to all the teachers and fellow members, for I have got a sense of achievement from this valuable experience.

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

In the process of this research, we have learned many ways of making Children’s folk toys and playing children’s folk games. We also realize the delicacy of children’s folk games through real operation. They not only provide amusement, but also arouse students’ power of reasoning.

Children’s folk games can be divided into three categories. One is the intelligence game, another is the rural game, and the other is the improvisatory game. These learning materials are very helpful to education. We try to use different materials to create our own children’s folk toys. Though we encounter many difficulties, we solve them one by one with the help of the master of children’s folk games. We show sincerity and enthusiasm in our works even if the works are not as delicate as ready-made toys on sale.

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

Software Function 1.Uiead PhotoImact 6.0 Photo composition 2.FrontPage 2000 Producing & Editing Home Page 3.NamoWebeditor4 Producing & Editing Home Page 4.ACDSee 4 Photo Editing 5.Word 2000 processing Files 6.Internet Explorer 5.0 Searching Relevant Information Teacher and Students 7.OpenWebmail Communication between T 8.LeapFTP Transmitting Information 9.Movie Maker 2 Movie Making Hardware 1.Scanner Scanning Picture 2.Canner Taking Pictures 3.Digital Canner Taking Pictures 4.Digital Video Canner Audio Recording 5.Recorder Visual Recording 6.Printer Printing Materials

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

Instead of the Internet, We get acquainted with Mr. Lin Shin-lai through an article in the newspaper. He is a great expert of children’s folk games. We decide to invite him to our school to make a speech on children’s folk games, and to demonstrate his specialty in children’s folk games. Through interviews, we understand the whole process of his creation. Though he has encountered a variety of frustrations, he never gives up. The more difficulties he encounters, the braver he becomes. We are moved and fascinated by his courageous spirit. Therefore, we are determined to ask Mr. Lin to help us for our case study so that it will help people find more joys of their childhood.

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

Guan-yin is merely a coastal town in the countryside near the Taoyuan International Airport. In recent years, tourism has contributed to the development of economic power. The business of Lotus Garden Sightseeing Activities is thriving. However, people are ignoring their local color and cultural values. In the pure land of Guan-yin, Mr. Lin Shin-lai’s creation of children’s folk games helps people recover the joys of childhood in the past. So we hope that creating children’s folk games can become a new trend to enable people here to live a lively and energetic life.

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

We would like to express our gratitude to Miss Ke Shu-huei for her arrangement of the interviews with Mr. Lin Shin-lai. We are also deeply grateful to Mr. Yang Hau-cheng, who records our activities. Besides, he teaches us computer skills enthusiastically at noon break so that we own our website. We also wish to express our thanks to Miss Lin Jing-feng and Miss Wang Ting-yi. They teach us not only the skills of interviewing the children’s folk game expert, but also the methods to draw up our reports. Finally, we are grateful to the children’s folk game expert, Mr. Lin Shin-lai for his wonderful performance and inspiring speech at our school. Without these teachers’ valuable support and perspicacious guidance, the completion of this research would have been impossible. We owe enormous debts of gratitude for their instruction.

5) Discoveries, Lessons and Surprises (Optional)

(1) Comprehension: The material to create children’s folk games is ubiquitous. We can make use of anything around us for the creation of children’s folk toys. As long as we try again and again, we will succeed.

(2) Inspiration: In order to have a perfect performance of the report. We need a set of computer equipment to facilitate our work. In addition, we realize that we have to do our work step by step in an effective and efficient way, for more haste, less speed. We have to pay attention to every detail to ensure that we have done a good job.

(3)Amazement: The computer is becoming more and more human. It is not a stiff substance, and so are traditional children’s folk games. It is great fun to play these children’s folk games without spending a lot of money.