School: Jiali Junior High School
    Jialiburg, Taiwan, R.O.C.

7 students, ages 13~14 worked together to complete this CyberFair project on March 20, 2004. They have participated in CyberFair in the following year(s): 2004

Classes and Teachers: San-wen Wang

E-Mail contact:

Our School's Web Site: http://www.jl1jh.tnc.edu.tw/

1. Description of Our Community

Jiali, my homeland, is a serene, peaceful, small burg or town in Tainan County. Coincidently, the sound Jiali also means “at home” in Mandarin Chinese. It’s prosperous but it hasn’t lost its homely, simple appearance. Even though it isn’t an important industrial park, nor is its landscape attractive enough for sightseeing, but it has a history longer than any other city or town in Taiwan. There are many old temples with a history of 200 or 300 years, and provides abundant resources for the creation of art and literature. It is always the most harmonious community—the best place to make a home!

2. Summary of Our Project

On this website, you will find the history, the cultures between different tribes and the specific agricultural produce of Jiali. With the social changes of the past hundred years, our forefathers kept devoting themselves to this land. They did their best to make this town popular and prosperous. Nowadays, Jiali has become a great place to live in or to pay a visit. So, welcome to Jiali.

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:not sure

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):

There are two computer classrooms in Jiali Junior High School. There are about 120 computers in the whole school, and link with the local area network. And the Internet network link with ADSL (Upload speed is 384K, and download speed is 3M).

4. Problems We Had To Overcome

1) The collection of data：To study the history of Jiali need a large amount of data homeland. It is very difficult to collect the relevant data we needed. First, we list the items orderly. Then, each group is immersed in searching for the relevant materials from books, magazines, newspapers…etc. 2) The limitation of time：We students have eight classes a day, five days a week. So the time we can spare for surfing the Internet, keying in words, or making homepages is during lunch break. Moreover, we’ve even sacrifice our weekends to work for it. 3) The inadequate：At first we have not had enough supports, such as short of money, computer equipments, digital equipments…etc. But we overcome the difficulties one by one. 4) Lack of adequate skill and technique：Most members of our team try to make the homepages for the first time. In the process of designing homepages, we’ve been facing a lot of thorny problems. In to make beautiful homepages, it is a real challenge for us.

5. Our Project Sound Bite

　　For us the contest was an important experience. It recorded our life in junior high school. We don't care whether we will win the contest or not, for the process is more important than the results, isn't it? And we drew all of the pictures that linked together by ourselves, so we had a lot of work to do. Believe it or not, we have already made it. Very often we had to bring the work home and finished it in the hours when we should have taken a rest. As all the other schoolmates worked so hard, everyone worked hard, and none of us had made any complains. I was very proud and much relieved. We have learned many things. However, all the time is worthy to be spent. When we encountered any difficulty, we argued it over and came up with a solution. This is how we over come hardship. Thanks to everyone. Everything is OK now. Let's call it a day. “Time flies and my youth vanishes in nowhere.” 'Learn by experience' And this is quite true. I hope we can learn more about our homeland. And do our best to preserve the culture. Rome wasn't built in a day. We will do our best to make it the best place to live. A town is both preserving the past and looking forward to the future.

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

　 Someone has said ' Where there are communities there are schools', but most students in our school do not really understand the sweet land they’re lived on. This time, making the webpage about our homeland help us understand our community more. What’s more, we can apply ' it ' to the “social studies” teaching and students can understand their hometown better.

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

The part of the hardware： 1. Computer：We make use of computers to make homepages, revise pictures and photographs, compile background music, array data…etc. 2. Digital camera：We use digital cameras to note down persons, things, and objects. People don’t have to come to our homeland in person and will see our homeland by means of photographs on our homepages. 3. Scanner：We use the scanner to scan pictures and apply them to our homepages. Pictures can help readers understand more easily what we express. 4. Telephones：We use telephones to inquire the interviewers. Teachers and students can also discuss the subject by telephone. The part of the software： 1. FrontPage2000：It is the main program of making homepages. 2. PhotoImpact6：We make use of PhotoImpact6 to draw all the linking pictures and revise the photographs. 3. E-mail：It is a main tool that we get in touch with each other. We exchange the data with e-mail.

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

Our school participates in the match of Cyber Fair projects for the first time. Because this project, we have a further acquaintance with our hometown. Meanwhile, Jiali junior high school gets a much better reputation in the homeland. On our web pages, we introduce you the culture, historical sites, sightseeing spots…etc. We consider that many residents in our own communities are not very familiar with this beautiful town even though they’ve lived here for the whole life. Therefore, we hope that our web pages can help them know more about their homeland. In addition, we’ll give people in the world a chance to enjoy our homeland in second on the Internet.

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

　The theme —「Lift the Curtain of Jiali」has been a dream we try to come true. We live on this land, but it is a bit mysterious. As we take the cultural courses about Tainan County, we have a look at the history of Jiali. So we make homepages, and show them more people to understand it even more. We know it’s worthy of it. Though our theme has nothing special, even a bit popular, it’s a great comfort for us to do something good to the inhabitants. If we can make the old and the young care much about their homeland, we are very glad to give a hand. 　Doing the work, our group members get more united and are highly commended by parents and interviewees. We look forward to seeing the residents in the hometown be more concerned about Jiali and Taiwan.

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

Students (team members) 1. Interview interviewees or the relevant personages 2. Photograph 3. Record the interviews 4. Draft the outline of visit 5. Fill in the progress reports 6. Collect the datas 7. Draw the pictures Instructors 1. Hold the meeting of work groups 2. Put in order and analyze the datas 3. Guide and inspect the homepages 4. Draft thematic names and plans 5. Coach the technology of the computer 6. Offer the funds 7. Help homepage making Parents 1. Contact interviewees 2. Serve as the interviewees 3. Consultant 4. Offer the help of traffic Community residents 1. Offer the datas 2. Accept the visit

5) Discoveries, Lessons and Surprises (Optional)

First, it is inconceivable for junior high school students to participate in this international match. We worked harder than ever before in the whole process of this activity. This time, we’ll have a chance to present the beautify of Jiali on the stage of the world. Secondly, we realize deeply that knowledge is borderless. It’s more convenient, economical and practical to get information on the Internet than by traditional ways. Finally, the culture and ecology of our hometown are our treasure. In order to keep and develop the specific culture from generation to generation, it’s our duty to kook up to our homeland, love it and protect it. You’re invited to come and discover the lively spirit of Jiali, and you’ll find the true beauty of history, culture and life of Jiali.