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1. Description of Our Community
Tian Mu was called “Shan Jiao Bu”, the current name “Tian Mu” came from “Tian Mu Religion” (which worships Tian Mu, Heaven’s Mother.) and Tian Mu Hot Spring. The surrounding areas include the north parts of Tian Mu East and West Road, also Section 7 of Chungshan North Road. It bases on the hillside of Iang Ming Mt. and is at the altitude around 50 kilometers. Due to the increasing residences of foreign ambassadors and delegates, Tian Mu has been well known for its exotic life style and variety food. The community hence is making big progress in its living standard.
2. Summary of Our Project
Ciao Mt. water supply system is indispensable to Tian Mu community. Most of the drinking water in the area comes from the headwaters in Yang Ming Mountain. Moreover, the water from the supply system is clean and pure. There is rarely chemical ingredient added in the water. It also contains high percentages of minerals. The most important of all, it carries the historical value.
We hope the mass of the society can notice this living historical venue therefore realize the importance and the history of the community. In addition, we also wish to raise the awareness of historical preservation, call for more people to join in the preservation activities such as Water-Loving Festival or regular tour guide along the system. We especially find it important to spread the relevant information to the schools. We want this precious water resource can be preserved and acknowledged for generations.
To accomplish all these, we stepped into the field, did several interviews, went to classes, studied lessons and collected materials to probe the historical venue with intellectual insights. We gathered for countless discussions during our lunch breaks, we inquired and looked for the answers, we built the website, and we learned how to make good homepages. The best of all, we look within ourselves and find the strengths we did not think we ever had. We develop all the strengths and share them with our mates. We are having a great time doing this project.
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:1
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 school uses optical fiber to connect the Internet. We set up firewall, and adopt NAT system to complete the environment. Except our web server, we link every server with Linux system and build up the whole Intranet environment, thus provide basic services. All the students involving in this project have either wide-band Cable or ADSL services at home.
4. Problems We Had To Overcome
1. Different schedules: People involving in this project had different schedule, some of us went to classes after school, others had to prepare for the exams next days. We needed to squeeze our schedule in for the discussion. However, there always seemed to be little time left for the project. 2.Team cooperation and coordination: We were not so good at discussion in the beginning, most of us were quiet. No one ever had any ideas or opinions. Unfortunately, everybody had busy schedule. Sometimes there were just few of us in the discussion then we had to run for other classes, unsolved issues were left and we could not move on. When we got home, it was less possible to have a thorough discussion.
3. Limited resources of the project information: There were not many printed materials we could find to introduce Ciao Mt. Water Supply System. Some of them were even lost. When we were glad that we finally found something, a lot of them were repetitive. It was not easy to collect the materials.
4. The Fieldwork：The weather was not so good when we had to do the field work. It kept raining for several days so we had to postpone our schedule. When we at last could make it, we did not expect a long and torturous expedition. We were totally exhausted after our first field research.
5. The facility: We had little software at home, such as LeapFTP. We had snail speed on line because most of us dialed to catch the line.
6. Technical obstacles: Most of our team members were fresh to this CyberFair. Some of us were even novice of doing web pages and processing images. Some even typed slowly. Many of us could not solve the upload problems independently.
7. Others: First, we sometimes got confused of who’s writing the process report. Everyone wrote differently. Second, many of us belonged to some clubs at school. During the rehearsals, many members were absent at the meetings. Besides, we, of the highest grade at school, had heavy workloads in our study.
5. Our Project Sound Bite
Before doing this project, we were never aware of this historic site so close to us. More than that, it still plays an important role in our daily life. It supplies the element we human being deeply relies on for our living, water. However, when we first started the project, we felt bored. None of us realized the importance of the system. Nothing popped out from our heads. Luckily, we were overwhelmed after visiting the Water Supply System. Our minds were opened and cleansed by the very first gushing spring, then the pure and sweet spring water of the third head water. When we arrived at Yuan Shan Japanese Water Shinto Shrine and saw Yuan Shan Reservoir, we were so touched and inspired. Such amazing establishment should never be discarded or even demolished. To compare with those who spent their life on planning and establishing it, and those who made great efforts on preserving it, we contributed so little to our community but took a lot from the system. We were not just getting to know better about our community and the history, we learned more computer skills by doing the project. We learned so much and we owed these to our school teachers and our volunteering mothers. We also felt grateful to those pioneers who built the system and of course, all the thanks to our Nature Mothe
6. How did your activities and research for this CyberFair Project support standards, required coursework and curriculum standards?
In Taiwan’s new Grade 1-9 Curriculum, it focuses on the abilities students can actually carry out, not purely the knowledge in the text books. It also emphases on the skills students have to learn from their living experiences. We did this research basing on these ideals and insisted on “Students are the main learning substance, teachers are the guide.” process. From the topic of the project to the last step of the production were all done by the students. This project was totally made on their own.
During the research activities, students had to design a web page frame, they also had to learn how to plan and organize a project. To collect relevant materials, they had to find the access to them and how to arrange their schedule for the interviews and other efforts. They had to learn how to explore and investigate. To share what they had learned to the public, they had to use Information Technology to record every bit of their work. Moreover, they had to learn to work with others and coordinate as a team. They had to express their opinions to not just their peers but also those who provided to help. During the process of doing the project, the students learned to care the community and cherish the water resource. They learned to respect and were grateful to what Mother Nature had given to the world. All these abilities were compatible with the spirit of Grade 1-9 Curriculum. They learned all these abilities by actually doing them. We teachers believe in learning by doing, we think that when students have the chances to do and learn, they actually possess the knowledge and abilities.
Our project- The Living Historic Landmark –Ciao Mt. Water Supply System supplies the drinking water for Tian Mu community everyday but is rarely known by the people. After more than 1 year incessantly lobbying in the City Counsel by the mothers in the community, it was finally designated as a Historic Site under Taipei City Authority on 9th of July, 2003. This is the first historic landmark which was not only a spot but a system along the community in northern Taiwan. It is also the first historical landmark in Tian Mu. Thanks to this establishment, the students could explore the community in person. Our School-based Curriculum and the awareness of local education also encourage and support the experience.
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