School: Yu-Jen Catholic Elementary School
    Taichung, nono, Taiwan

9 students, ages 10-13 worked together to complete this CyberFair project on March 18, 2005. They have participated in CyberFair in the following year(s): 2002, 2003

Classes and Teachers: Lee, Pi-Chu, Tsai, Hui-Chen, Cheng, Pei-Shan, Julie

E-Mail contact:

Our School's Web Site: http://yjes.tc.edu.tw/index.htm

1. Description of Our Community

Taichung is located in the center of Taiwan. It is a place exceptionally rich in natural resources such as four distinct and pleasant seasons and beautiful scenery. It is rich in culture and complete with a variety of exquisite cuisine and historically mportant landmarks that are well worth visiting. Some good examples are the fresh and pleasant Taichung Park, the historically rich Science Museum, the culturally rich Art Museum. In addition to these examples, there are many historical sites, such as the Taichung Railway Station. Let’s take a visit to this famous landmark, the Taichung Railway Station.

2. Summary of Our Project

The Taichung Railway Station is not only the physical entrance to the city, but has also become a spiritual indicator for the city’s citizens. The train station will be 100 years old next year. In this 100-year period, the people of Taichung have viewed this train station with purity of heart and caring and in response the train station has been with the people through both difficult and joyous times. Irrespective of the weather, the past, present or future, this train station will accompany us onward with an eternal spirit. In our hearts, the train station will always hold an imperishable status.

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:more than 6

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 use Pentium 4 CPU 1.8G and 15-inch monitors with window XP system in our computer classroom and each classroom has a computer for teachers and students for the extra using after class. Our school use ADSL to connect with academic net and computer classroom use the other ADSL to do research. We usually use mail and messenger to share and exchange our research content and ideas.

4. Problems We Had To Overcome

Time control is our biggest problems, everyone has the their classes everyday, therefore it is even harder to ask everyone to go out to visit together. Some team workers have multiple jobs, they have dance, rhythm classes even science fair……It is difficult to finish their jobs in a short time, sometimes, they wish they could have threes hands and three arms to help them out. They use the every minute that could, even the extra class time, naptime and early self-study time. Language is the other problem that we have right now, for example, from our visit trip this time, the people that we interviewed were older and they speak local language (Taiwanese), and our younger members did not understand Taiwanese very well because they speak Chinese all the time. In the end, we taped the conversation and asked the teachers who know Taiwanese well to translate it. Therefore, to learn Taiwanese is one of the new learning topics. There are three objects that we are going to overcome are (1.) to co-ordinate the whole group (2.) to have good communication with each other (3). well control of the schedule. These are the things that we are working on now.

5. Our Project Sound Bite

Time pasted just like giant wheels running forward, at the same time, it left so much unforgettable tracks. The tracks hid so much touchable and praiseworthy memory. Let’s discover those precious treasures from the people who left behind for us and use our true hearts and passions to keep them. Before I started the topic research, I was the kind of people who only look for the future therefore I cared about the future technology. After I finished this topic research, I could realize and appreciate the former generation’s remarkable work. Thanks for that, I deeply understood that people should look back the past in order to develop the future. Long railroad, ancient history, the relationship between the two is deep rooted and ethnic…….. From the specific explanations, we grew up a lot; gradually, everyone opened a space from their hearts. Although some people did not really understand what do they grow, they could face the challenges in the future with their strongest spirit. Photographer master, Yu Rwu-Jui teacher, he is the elder who I admire most. His professional focused attitude and his working principle, fulfill myself with everything that I need to do, are the models that we need to learn and follow. He wished to catch every precious moment with his camera shutter and to be handed down from generation to generation.

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

Please combine the topic research plan of the Internet website fair with main curriculum of nine years academic education In the nine years school curriculum, we focus on the organization with each learning area; more over, we emphasis the practical ability in academic using. We learn how to make well preparation for research, how to interview with people, how to appreciate our hometown beauty and history, how to record the whole process from this research plan, how to cooperate with team workers and share what you learn with each other……..the most important thing is that we learn to care our hometown and appreciate the people who contribute themselves with this land We learn more and much faster through network.

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

Technical Equipment: We use computer, ADSL wide network, telephone, scanner, printer, digital camera, traditional camera, portable disk, Record pen, and recorder.

Data collecting: (1.) Computer - learning, surf on the net, data reorganization (2.) Newspapers - reading and reorganize data (3.) Books - reading and reorganize data.

We finished our Internet pages through different kinds of software, mostly, we used Word, Excel, notebook, Namo Web Editor, PhotoImpact and Flash. The whole topic plan was completed in the computer classroom.

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

In our interview process, we shared our achievement through the network. Gladly, our interviewer all agree that students studied independently by the school internet fair in Taiwan. Therefore, they like to give all the information that we need. Every time, we were very caution about our interview, because it presented our school’s reputations. Before we started the interview, we collected all the information that we might need. After that, we had personal interview, phone interview or get the data from E-mail. Especially, the head of Taichung Railway Station - Mr. Swu Zhen-Lin Propagated railroad safety activities in our school and he instructed our children Chinese comic dialogue. We reap no little benefit from him. Mr. Yu Rwu-Jui told us the old story of the Taichung Railway Station and he even brought his own photograph equipments to our campus sport meeting to picture us for the school anniversary. His passion and support deeply touched our hearts In order to make people understanding our Taichung Railway Station and noticed railroad safety, we even introduced our topic research through Children Chinese comic dialogue

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

“Taichung Railway Station” it is always around us for hundred years, I though I knew it very well, but the fact is it been ignored and forgotten day by day. In this sudden opportunity, I could retouch the train station’ history and I could not wait to know it again. It is so big and beautiful and I could not leave my eyes from him anymore. Although, the new generation could not understand how important the Taichung Railway Station is for former people, after we introduced this topic research from different ways in the campus such as speech from the head of the station, Chinese comic dialogue by our team members. From those interactive activities, we saw teachers and students showed their admiration, appreciation and highly praise to Taichung Railway Station, at same time, we know that the new generation realized the train station’s value and beauty, too.

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

Mr. Su, the station master, was the greatest person of this web site! He provided enthusiastically many station data, went to the school to tall us the information about traffic safety, and the play of railway traffic safety. Also, he arranged us to visit Changhua Museum, the Roundhouse, etc... When we visited the Railway Station for the first time, Mr. Shao was the guide; we learn many things for the first time, like buying a ticket, canceling it, press the emergency button, and visiting the Railway control room, etc.. Thanks Mr. Shao for visiting the Railway station with us. Due to Mr. Yu, we could see one- hundred year pictures. They are in Mr. Yu’s private room. He is so kind and gentle that he told us the stories about every historical picture. He also went to our school’s anniversary to take photos. Thank for Mr. Wang for taking us visiting the railway museum, the Roundhouse, the underground, and the platforms, and explaining every question kindly. Teacher Lai is a railway fan and master. He teaches in Ling Tung College.Thanks for him for providing a wonderful the files of voice of smoke wagon, the pictures of beautiful Railway s, old Taichung Railway Station, and Railway s with canes. These files enrich our web site. When we were making the web, we saw the pictures by Huei-yi, and knew her father collects Railway s’ models. We visited his collections. Thanks for it. Thanks the president, the vice-president, and every director generals for encouraging and helping us. With their help, we can do our best. Thanks this eloquent graduating sister for helping write the draft of our cross talk, teach us how to play, and encourage us with desserts. Thanks for everyone who provide files, and resources

5) Discoveries, Lessons and Surprises (Optional)

Discoveries Taichung Railway Station (100 years) is the second-class ancient monument There is no clock in Taichung’s main clock tower. The main building shape is a Taiwan’s famous fruit design. You can see sunrise and sunset not only in mountain but also Taichung Railway Station. Actually, professional love to share. They are kind and full of passion, not cold and untouchable. Lessons Jia-Wei learned how to use Flash system to draw but she worked too hard and forgot to save the file and lose all the efforts sometimes Interview needs well preparation and good physical strength to finish the job, too. We learned that to focus the target in the middle of the frame could prevent wasting pictures. When we move folders, it is easy to lose pictures. It causes a lot effort to redo again. Surprises The sigh of the railroad station, the outside shape is Chinese character “?”and letter “I” is in the middle is, which looks like the side of the railroad. In Chang Hwa, the telephone in the culture exhibition room used the super size batteries. In Taichung Railway Station, there is a “changeable chair” which has very special style standing in the second platform From the Chinese comic dialogue, we saw teachers and students showed their admiration, appreciation and highly praise to Taichung Railway Station. There is a “ plate classroom” in the train station for students to study.