CyberFair Project ID: 6714

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International Schools CyberFair Project Narrative
Title: Wisdom Tribe – Utopia in Smangus
Category: 2. Community Groups and Special Populations
URL: http://librarywork.taiwanschoolnet.org/gsh2011/gsh6714/index.htm
Bibliography: http://librarywork.taiwanschoolnet.org/gsh2011/gsh6714/f2.htm

School: Kang Chiao Bilingual School
    Xinbei , Taipei, Taiwan

20 students, ages 11 ~ 12 years old worked together to complete this CyberFair project on March 15, 2011. They have participated in CyberFair in the following year(s): 2007,2009,2010

Classes and Teachers: Chin-hua Yang

E-Mail contact:

Our School's Web Site: http://www.kcbs.tpc.edu.tw/english/index.html

Project Overview

1. Description of Our Community

Kang Chiao Bilingual High School is located at the southwestern hill side of Xindian Dist., Xinpei City, with most students coming from greater Taipei area. Being a bilingual and experimental school, our beliefs are experiment, bi-languages, pastoral and abilities. Each student is expected to know and love his/her country land and embrace the global challenge. Kang Chiao students are mostly from middle and upper class families, therefore, being rich with civility and willing serve people has always been the idea that we practice as the educational policy. Smangus people’s respect for nature, support of the tribe, love for the tribe, are key factor to weave an harmonious world, which is the perfect role model for Kang Chiao students.

2. Summary of Our Project

Although Taiwan is a developed country with well-established democratic environment and modern economic system, we, in this article, will explore a very special living and business model at Smangus aborigine in Taiwan – the Smangus Communism Model. The model describes a way of making living and tribe development based on the mind-share of helping and sharing. In order to in depth understand their daily life and how the model is operating in practice, we have not only studied reference articles and conduct questionnaire analysis, but also visited Smangus at the remote mountain to interview the leaders and key people. The objectives of this research project are to investigate how they unite the people’s opinions into a common vision and realize the vision together with joyful mind, how they transform their aboriginal tradition and culture into a self-sustainable tribe development model, how they protect the heritage inherited from their ancestors, and how they build such a beautiful Shangrila at the far mountain in the modernized Taiwan country.

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:more than 6

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

Currently the school has sufficient server host servers, and each classroom owns a desktop and internet access, there is an IT department providing teachers and students a convenient and multi-service network environment, including web space, mail and so on. Participating in this CyberFair competition, children use their extra-curricular activities time or study hall time or after school time to finish website producing, they upload the page to FTP server of schools, enabling children to modify WebPages at home and making running WebPages more smoothly.

4. Problems We Had To Overcome

(1)Setting up the team consensus: With the school belonging to the system of university region and the pupils coming from the greater Taipei area, from as far as keelung and Taoyuan, it is not easy for them to get together. Besides, their bilingual curriculum is arranged with 8 sessions a week in English, along with extracurricular activities in music, fine arts or sports, which occupy nearly all their spare time. With such a tough and tight schedule in learning, those who participate in the project are first asked to set up a consensus for the team, to understand the duty and obligation that require their endeavor and time. (2)Asking for the parents’ consent: Because the work of Topic Research requires using much time of holidays and after school, to get a smooth development of our research from the beginning, an orientation meeting with the parents of members participating the Web Expo was held by the directing teachers to obtain full consent and support from the parents. (3) Arranging visiting : Since Samngus is located far in the mountains and the route was narrow and rugged. The control point will close the route if the weather is bad, not to mention the long waiting booking list. All these factors delayed our schedule. (4) Arrangements for the interviewees: We arranged interviews and questionnaires with our interviewees via phone and Email. (5) Time consuming Interview drafts: Most of the data are collected through interviews. To choose interviewee, to arrange meeting and to design questions, to type everything interviewees said all take time and perseverance to finish. It was all contributed to the patience and passion of all members.

5. Our Project Sound Bite

Smangus people cultivate this land with love, sharing and joy that their ancestors left them. Their love is the most shining rainbow among valleys. We were deeply impressed by the responsibility and courage that local people bear and were touched by this peaceful life and their love for the tribe. All these efforts and qualities make Smangus the God’s tribe and a living Utopia.

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

1. Language areas:Access solicitation, interviews, feature content written and published experience feelings. 2. Mathematics: Generated using Excel software, charts, analysis. 3. Social field : Development of thematic research, thematic structure, access is issued subject design, questionnaire design, access to draft order. 4. Topics:Research skills to learn various topics (thematic topics develop, brainstorming, KWH L, questionnaire design, interview, data collection, data collation, production and completion of special web page)

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Project Elements

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

1. Phone Email:Respondents offer and contact data collected Smangus. 2. Internet:Use the Internet to browse previous winning entries, the search Triathlon Presented information between team members use the Internet platform to share information or ideas and discussion. 3. PC:Use a variety of application software for picture art editor, text sorting, statistics, data, and integrated into Web forms. 4. DV:Will visit the whole recording process and help draft access arrangement, access to video highlights of finishing. 5. Printer:Outline printing access, network information, questionnaires, visits and other relevant information notice. 6. Flash Drives:Topics related to storage of personal data and Web content. 7. Digital Cameras:Shooting usually research and visit the image record. 8. Voice Recorder:Smangus interview, to help access the draft order. 9. Computer Software:PhotoImpact 12, Flash, Dreamweaver 8, Word, excel, Ftp, IE ...... and so on.

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

After deciding 'Samngus' as the theme of the thematic studies, we arranged a trip to Smangus. Besides interviewing Smangus people, but also conducting a survey to tourists. We posted our research in the school bulletin board and made a website for it. We hope that through our website, we can let more people know the beauty of Smangus, the uniqueness and the successful experience, inspiring every homeland loving people and making everyone’s community a better place.

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

Smangus leaders and elders chose to sacrifice to protect their homes that their ancestors built. In order to sustain children's future, they selected co-operating tribal business. They made Samngus an living Utopia out of mountains. They developed the green tourism to build their own cultural and historical resources. They also kept thinking for the core value of the tribe. They inspired that only through finding our roots will we don’t get lost. Only by living in their own mythology will they be the main actor in their world. , Only by not forgetting the roots can we strut the stage and create unlimited possibilities in the world.

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

1. Liang Yuan mother: to help arrange the Smangus field survey. 2. Professor Hua Guoyuan: Atayal language and Smangus natural conditions and social customs introduction 3. Chieftain: arrangement of our interview, performing Jaw Harp, introduced Jaw Harp, and many tribes history 4. Mr. La : accepted our interview and provided us with valuable first-hand information, helping arrange visits and visiting issues. 5. Pastor: acceptance of our interview, provide his own opinions from a pastor’s point of view to see people in Tnunan Smangus organization. 6. Director-General: accept our interview. 7. Marseille Elder: Tell us about the creation of tribal carvings and ideas behind the story. 8. All parents: help audio, video, photo and led.

5) Discoveries, Lessons and Surprises (Optional)

God created all things, give them the wisdom to survive. Smangus people are born in the mountains, so they all see the mountains more deeply than we do. We know so little compared to them! As Confucius said: ' Even a peasant is better than me.' Each Samngus person can be our teacher of mountains. ' When the great way prevails, the world community is equally shared by all. The worthy and able are chosen as office holders Mutual confidence is fostered and good neighborliness cultivated. Therefore people do not regard only their own parents as parents, nor do they treat only their own children as children. Privision is made for the aged till their death, the adults are given employment, and the young enabled to grow up. Widows and widowers, orphans, the old and childless as well as the sick and disabled are all well taken care of. Men have their proper roles, women their homes…', We have found the Utopia in the wild forest. Smangus people may not know Confucius, but the concept of universal brotherhood, is indeed implemented in Tnunan Smagus. The wisdom of tribal leaders and the commitment of tribal residents of for the Atayal cultural heritage, the maintenance of natural resources, and the protection to their 'root', we do find them living out the Atayal pride and confidence in their own land. People respect those respect themselves. While standing on Taiwan, we should cast our eye around the world. Smangus has so many qualities that we should learn from.

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