CyberFair Project ID: 6685

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International Schools CyberFair Project Narrative
Title: YUAN-SHAN SEARCH !
Category: 6. Historical Landmarks
URL: http://librarywork.taiwanschoolnet.org/gsh2011/gsh6685/index.htm
Bibliography: http://librarywork.taiwanschoolnet.org/gsh2011/gsh6685/index.htm

School: Taipei municipal Jiantan elementary school, Taiwan
    Taipei, Taiwan, Taiwan

8 students, ages 12 worked together to complete this CyberFair project on March 7, 2011. They have participated in CyberFair in the following year(s): 2010

Classes and Teachers: Shan-I Lin , Shu-Fen Hsu , Chiung-Hui Huang

E-Mail contact:

Our School's Web Site: http://www.jtes.tp.edu.tw/cyberfair2011/index.htm

Project Overview

1. Description of Our Community

Grand Hotel is located on Zhong Shan N. Road on Jian Tan Mt. across on the other side of Zhong Shan N. Road from our school Jian Tan elementary. The site of Grand Hotel was originally a Taiwanese temple during the reign of Japanese government. After the Taiwanese government reclaimed the island, the first international tourist hotel was built at this site—Taiwan Hotel, which was later named Grand Hotel. Grand Hotel was famous for the Eastern Traditional architecture. It was the first choice for foreign guests and was one of the top 10 hotels of the world. Being its neighbor, we wish to introduce Grand Hotel in children’s perspective through this Net Expo project to present Grand Hotel in more diverse perspective.

2. Summary of Our Project

There are many mythical stories about Grand Hotel including geographic feng shui and special tunnels. Therefore, we plan to use data gathering, interviews, fieldtrip, surveys and other investigation methods targeting the location of Grand Hotel, the original establishment before it became Grand Hotel, and the architecture of it to introduce Grand Hotel. Of course the future vision of Grand Hotel is also what we would like to know!

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:1

C. Connection speed used in the classroom:not sure

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):

The internet connection at school is 100M fiber cable connecting to the city network. In the school, the computer centers are also running on fiber cable. At home, we used ADSL broadband for research and upload. We also used moodle online learning platform to upload and share out data.

4. Problems We Had To Overcome

Difficulties: 1. Data collection: photos of early Taiwan temple and Grand Hotel architecture were hard to find. 2. Interview and survey: didn’t know the procedure, or what to watch out for. Didn’t know how to ask someone to fill our survey outside the hotel door. 3. Website production: we only know a little about making a website. It felt difficult to make a beautiful website. 4. Survey statistic: didn’t know how to explain the collected data. Overcome: 1. Searched historic website of Taiwan and used Photo Impact to make pictures. Visited older generation to learn more about the history. 2. Stimulation before interviews and survey to boost confidence and experience. 3. The teacher gave us intense training and taught us how to apply model modification method. 4. The teacher taught us how to use Excel to make data into graphs for presentation.

5. Our Project Sound Bite

In order to understand Grand Hotel, we must visit Grand Hotel to conduct interviews. We interviewed the supervisor and manager. The interviews helped us understand Taiwan Temple, Grand Hotel history, employee training. To know more about Grand Hotel, we visited it again to investigate the opinions of tourists. Even though we were turned down by many people, we held on to every opportunity of interviews. It allowed us to know what the tourists thought of Grand Hotel. Even though participating in Net Expo meant we had to come to school during our winter break, we didn’t feel tired. We enjoyed it. We looked forward to the tasks that the teacher gave us. By participating in this project, I knew we had to work together to get approval from others. We could not give up because of one failure or set back. We must stand up with courage to face whatever that is in front of us and work hard in order to finish our project.

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

1. After the investigation of Grand Hotel, we started to care about our own communities. Whatever news we see or hear, we pay more attention to them. We realized the communities we live in is so beautiful and full of culture. 2. Before interview and survey, we must draft interview scrip and survey questionnaire. This is training for planning and organization. Interview and surveys train us the ability to express ourselves, communicate and share. 3. When we use computer program to make cute animation of Grand Hotel, or typing for project, typing for charts, these things improve our ability to utilize information technology. 4. In order to collect data on Grand Hotel, we read many reports and books about it. We then organized the information and express our warm feelings about Grand Hotel with words. This enhance our ability to read, write and think for ourselves.

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Project Elements

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

Use computer, internet, digital camera for data collection, organization, website production. Use PhotoImpact, Dreaweaver, Use moodle online learning platform for discussion and information transfer. Use mp3, camcorder to record interviews. Use telephone, cell phone, email to contact interviewee and make appointments.

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

After interview at Grand Hotel, one of our interviewee—Mr. Wang called and informed us the student had great performance on that day. He also introduced us to Professor Huang for interview and requested to see the report when the project is over. Afterwards, when we interviewed Professor Huang, it was Tourist’s Day. He gave away lanterns to the children and made them ambassadors. It made quite an impression on them.

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

First, we visited Grand Hotel to bring us closer. We then gave out surveys. There were three parts to the surveys. The first part was to be filled out at the door of Grand Hotel. The second and third were filled out in school by the classmates or parents to let more people know about our research. Everyone started to value Chinese culture and history. I believe anyone that sees our website may learn and understand more.

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

We have to thank many people that helped with our research. The first is the Supervisor of Grand Hotel, Mr. Chen. During his interview, he made us understand the work of hotel employees, and showed us the room that once hosted foreign presidents and hotel facilities. We could feel the five star class of the hotel. Also, we must thank the manager Mr. Liu for taking us on a trip into the tunnels to experience the intense atmosphere between Taiwan and China during the two Chiang era. We also would like to thank manager Wang. During our interview about the training of hotel personnel, we saw manager Wang’s passion and energy towards her work. She introduced us to the author of Grand Hotel Mung Jia story—Prof. Huang Xi Hai. Prof Huang gave us a tour of the expansion and history of Taipei. Last, we must thank the tourists, classmates, and people in our community that filled out our surveys. They made our research more complete and more meaningful.

5) Discoveries, Lessons and Surprises (Optional)

I thought participating in this research was just about making website and animation. It turned out to be one challenge after another. First we interviewed the hotel employees. We’ve never seen anything like it. We were so nervous. When we asked questions, we felt our voices shaking. We didn’t know where to put our hands, feet, or where to look. When we finished the interview, we felt like a hundred kilogram rock has been lifted from our chests. Then we had to interview the tourists. We were asked strangers with much anxiety inside us. We prepared for rejection. We also learned to stand up again after many rejections. It wasn’t easy. Lastly, we had to listen to the recording repeatedly to write the final report. Everything was a test for our patience. This research stimulated a lot of growth in me. It not only gave me courage, but also perseverance to hand on, patience for organizing data, and ability to make website.

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