School: JeeMay Elementary School
    Sanchong City, Taiwan, Taipei County

9 students, ages 10~12 worked together to complete this CyberFair project on February 27, 2009. They have participated in CyberFair in the following year(s): 2009

Classes and Teachers: Lo, Hsin-Shu, Huang, Lan-Chu, Tai, Chi, Chen, Te, Chen, Ching-Yi

E-Mail contact:

Our School's Web Site: http://www.jmes.tpc.edu.tw/

1. Description of Our Community

Sanchung, or Sanchongpu, stands for three plains. Touchongpu, the present Touchien area in Sinjhuang City, was the first plain cultivated by Min Yue immigrants landed at Sinjhuang. Erchong, the abbreviation for Erchongpu, is also in Sanchong City. Sanchong City is in the west bank of the downstream of Tamsui River, borders Lujou City and Wugu Township in the northwest and Sinjhuang City in the west. The southern Sanchong and Banciao City is separated by Dahan River. Sanchong City borders Shihlin District, Tatong District and Wanhua District with Tamsui River in the east. Sanchong City has surface area of 16.317 square kilometers and is the satellite town rose in recent years. Many of the residents moved from central and southern Taiwan. Sanchong has much culture diversity all around Taiwan.

2. Summary of Our Project

In the past, the footwear industry in Taiwan established the economic miracle of “Taiwan No. 1.” So Taiwan earned a reputation as the “Kingdom of Shoe Making.” However, the fame is replaced by others now. The footwear imported from Europe and the United States has occupied a big portion of the high price market, while others imported from China has occupied half of the low price market. How has the footwear industry developed here in Taiwan? With the help of Taipei County Shoes Chamber of Commerce, we learned that there are still some outstanding shoe companies introducing the shoes made in Taiwan to foreigners and that has attracted Japanese and European. “ACL FOOTWEAR CO., LTD” is one of the excellent companies. ACL thus became the research object in this project. We visited National Sanchong Commercial and Industrial Vocational High School, which establishes school-to-work relationship with ACL, and Taipei County Shoes Chamber of Commerce, which does its utmost to promote Taiwan’s footwear industry. The following aspects are discussed in the project. 1.Cultivation of shoe makers in Taiwan. 2.Handicraft and experience shared by elderly craftsmen. 3.How can Taiwan shoe companies promote the image of the brands and products and create Taiwan miracle once again.

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:dial-up modem

D. Number of years our classroom has been connected to the Internet:2-3

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

There are 3 computer classrooms and 120 computers connected to the Internet available for students. A 100 MB optical fiber connects to the Education Network Service Center of Taipei County. Since every member has access to the Internet, we continue our project on 2009 Taiwan Schools Cyberfair website with other teams to make up the time limit in school.

4. Problems We Had To Overcome

•Different skills are required to complete the project To understand the craftsmanship of the craftsmen, we gave full play to the spirit of shoes. We designed activities like visiting ACL FOOTWEAR CO., LTD, shoes show in Taipei World Trade Center, National Sanchung Commercial and Industrial Vocational High School, etc. We had to learn how to know better about the interviewee, draft the questions to be asked during the interview with information on hand, search how we could get there by bus, improve listening skills in the interview, learn how to use different kinds of information and technology facilities like digital voice recorder, digital camera, video camera, etc., develop the ability to coordinate and analyze the data, learn briefing and presentation skills and apply image process learned in the fifth grade to deal with the photos. The most important is that we had to learn the ability to plan the activities, coordinate with each other, communicate with the adults, skills applying computer software, etc. After the project, we found that we are able to make good use of our valuable time to complete things needs to be done. •Transform doubt into support Some of the parents doubted that an activity like this would influence children’s normal learning because sometimes children had to ask for leave from after-school classes and art classes in order to take part in the activities, go to the school for discussion on weekends or join the field trip. Besides, we often recorded our progress and journal and read the data related to the project at night. So the teachers had to communicate with the parents and tell them the quality and features of the Cyberfair. The teachers hoped that the parents could understand and change their attitude and become supportive. However, we had members dropped out because of this reason. It is a pity. The members continued the research did not neglect their studies. In stead, they still kept good performance on their studies. So after a period of observation, the parents were willing to support our project. •Gain experience In the past, students would learn much knowledge by just sitting on the chairs in the classroom, but now they have to walk into the community and enterprises to interview the people; they have to walk into the school to communicate, coordinate and interview the classmates and teachers. This is the experience they have never had before. Speaking of the interview, it made students especially nervous. They …

5. Our Project Sound Bite

We are impressed by the efforts the craftsmen make to Taiwan’s footwear industry in. They are insistent to make comfortable and beautiful shoes. Although the labor cost in Taiwan is more expensive than that in China, our shoes are exquisite, elegant, and modern and comfortable. The profession of the craftsmen is irreplaceable. It gives them sense of achievement when they print their names on the shoes as if they are work of art. The earnest and responsible attitude of the old craftsmen is worth our learning. We believe the more concentrated we are, the better the result is.

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

•Language: Feedback writing skills, interview skills and summary were included in the activity. The series of activities have improved students’ listening, speaking, reading and writing skills. •Social: Starting from the school, we explored the people, things and stuff in the community and shared the resource in the community. Every student inside or outside our school, residents in the community and even every member in Sanchong City know better about the human characteristics and differences. We have improved or find the solution to the problems by ourselves, and have developed the abilities of critical thinking, value judgment and problem solving. •Science and living technology: With the exploration attitude of science, we searched on the Internet and used different IT products. We have developed students’ abilities of observation, asking questions, planning, induction, team work, how to get along with others harmoniously, criticism, creation, etc. The students have experienced the fun of exploring actively and independent thinking. •Arts and human culture: The students have developed the abilities of creation and aesthetic and improved the art competence through webpage editing. •Synthetic activity: During the activity, the students fully expressed their opinions. With the cooperation with each other, they have achieved the goals with the strength of the team and have realized the importance of teamwork. •Health and PE: The preparation of the interview, things the students should notice, planning the schedule and choosing the location should be arranged beforehand. The manners and attitudes of the interview have helped the students build sound development of personality and good living habits. •????????: In the project, the students used different kinds of IT skills and equipment to search, coordinate and analyze the data, and they used IT technology as a tool to expand their learning and communication.

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

Audio and Video: Digital camera and video camera—to record images. Printer—to print images. Scanner—to read information into the computer. Digital voice recorder—to record the sound of the interview. Telephone, cell phone, fax machine and the Internet—to contact and communicate with the members. Computer—to search for data. Photos, interviews and books—to collect data. PhotoimpactX3—to process the images. Microsoft FrontPage2003—to edit webpages. SwishMax—to create animation. UleadMediaStudio11—to convert file and capture audio and video. Microsoft Word2007 and openoffice—to type data. Internet Explorer—to search for information, email and communicate. Windows picture and FAX Viewer—to process images and pictures.

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

Before the interview, we listed the schedule, searched for information about ACL, Taipei County Shoes Chamber of Commerce (TPSHOES), SCVS and Taipei International Shoes Fair and contacted them. The assistant manager of ACL, Mr. Lin, TPSHOES and the teachers of SCVS arranged the time and place of the interview. We visited and interviewed ACL’s departments, Taipei International Shoes Fair and SCCS Shoes Making and Design Department smoothly. After the interview, we uploaded our record to the Cyberfair website and the school discussion board and asked the participants to make sure that there was no mistake in the content.

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

At the very beginning of our research, we asked the classmates, teachers, friends, families and Sanchong residents about the shoemaking industry in Sanchong, but few of them know it. Even if they know, the fact that there were many factories in the past is all what they know about. They do not know where to find one, or some of the factories were closed or have moved to China. We felt that it was horrible. Taiwan was once the “Kingdom of Shoemaking,” and Sanchong was one of the cities which made contribution to the industry, but we can not find it anymore. Is it beause the labor cost is expensive in Taiwan so no one would like to make shoes here? After the research, we finally got some information. With the help of TPSHOES, we knew that there are still good shoemaking companies running business. It was great. There are still enterperneurs willing to stay in Taiwan to make contribution to the shoemaking industry. We found “ACL FOOTWEAR CO., LTD.” They introuduce the shoes made in Taiwan to foreigners and attract (the) Japnaese and European. Because of the help of ACL, we could know more about the process of shoemaking. Because of the insistence and efforts of these old craftsmen, we can put on the shoes made in Taiwan.

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

TPSHOES provided us much valuable information, such as SCVS. The Shoes Making and Design Department in SCVS is the one which still gives shoemaking courses. After we contacted the teachers, we visited them. The teachers and students were earnest. They explained and demonstrated for us. This year Taipei International Shoes Fair and MIT Quality Certification Ceremony were held in Taipei World Trace Center. The director of TPSHOES, Lin, Hung-Chen, invited us to the ceremony together. We also knew that the shoes fair and TPSHOES promote MIT MARK and build the good images of the shoemaking industry in Taiwan. The assistant manager of ACL, Lin, Wen- Cheng, helped us contact with the company so we could see the whole shoemaking process, history of ACL and brand story. The staff gave us explanation and demonstration in detail and had interview with us. They were manager of international department, Liao, Wei-Chung, manager of domestic department, Wu, Mao-Sheng, assistant manager of product department, Liu, Chen-Ju, assistant manager of operating department, Kao, Shih-Yu, the craftesmen of shoes vamp department, Huang, Fu-Ti, Wu, Su-Cheng, the craftesmen of shoes sole department, Chen, Chi-Chang, Chen, Wu-Chai, Chen, Shun-Yi, He, Fen-Li, Tseng, Jui-Huang, Chen, Su-Nian, the craftesman of distribution department, Liao, Hung-Chi, the crafteman of fixing department, Li, Ching-Jen. We really thank them because they were willing to provide so much assistance and join the project with us. We have benefited a lot and realized that there are actually so many people who are still making efforts to Taiwan.