CyberFair Project ID: 7120

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International Schools CyberFair Project Narrative
Title: Traditional Lanterns Light up Future
Category: 8. Local Music and Art Forms
URL: http://librarywork.taiwanschoolnet.org/gsh2012/gsh7120/index.htm
Bibliography: http://librarywork.taiwanschoolnet.org/gsh2012/gsh7120/n5.htm

School: Zhong Zhen Primary School
    Hualien, Taiwan, Taiwan, R.O.C.

10 students, ages 11-12 worked together to complete this CyberFair project on February 14, 2012. They have participated in CyberFair in the following year(s): 2009-2011

Classes and Teachers: Ren Nien Liao?Shou Hong Wang?Ya Xun Lin

E-Mail contact:

Our School's Web Site: http://210.240.66.4/liaw/2012e/

Project Overview

1. Description of Our Community

Hualien has always been a place where people look forward to visiting, and they enjoy themselve so much that they want to linger on without thinking of leaving. As you drive along the East Rift Valley, the Coastal Mountain Range is on one side, the vast crystal blue ocean on the other. The topography, the soil of the Coastal Mountain Range varies considerably, and as you go farther inside, you will discover a different world, towering canyons, clear streams, and abundance in flora and fauna ecological resources, up stream you can have an even much better view of the big ocean from up above. Of course, besides its natural resources, the county is bountifully rich in culture resources. For one, we are going to explore decorative lanterns, which are seen in our local community, in temples and are silently promoted under the teachings of school teachers. In fact, these lanterns possess artistic values and what they imply and mean in the passing down of a tradition. We are extremely thankful to this group of creative artists; their actions combine both Hualien’s local culture and tradition, completely showing the unique styles of decorative lanterns. We hope that through our study, we will show this value once again to each and everyone.

2. Summary of Our Project

The subject of our study is the lantern culture of Hualien. We believe that through our study, our project can manifest the meaning of ‘action’ and the value of ‘unity’. And because lantern artistry also shows a unique value, so it enjoys world-wide fame. Not only keen observation but also rich creativity is needed in lantern artistry. By observing and learning from each other’s work, we can gradually improve. Through exploring lantern artistry, we get to understand this art that has already taken its root in Hualien. On the other hand, visiting and interviewing lantern making artists enable us to view and emulate their works, which can not be learned in books! Although these artists are overloaded with work everyday, they are still willing to share with us the delight of their success. We have learned a lot from these things! Of course, ‘taking action’ is better than just understanding by observing. Thus, we take actual participation in the making of lanterns. We hope that the students can learn the basic concepts. After all, learning art to elementary students is still endlessly long. But through actual participation, we hope to combine knowledge and skills to show the art of lantern making. And we also believe that through our exploration, we can get to let many people understand this effect of combining humanities and artistry that is occurring in Hualien.

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:more than 6

C. Connection speed used in the classroom:dedicated connection

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):

Our school’s classrooms and offices all have computers at present, and we can all have access to the Internet. Also, we have two computer classrooms and one multi-media computer classroom. The school uses DongHwa Telecom’s 10 optical fibers to surf the net, which is quite fast whether you’re uploading or downloading. Aside from this, the students use ADSL at home as link to the Internet.

4. Problems We Had To Overcome

(1) Because of the large number of team members, we needed to work a lot on contacting each other and to find time to get together for the interviews, we were always in situations where we couldn’t have a complete group. Because of delays, our research time was shortened and compressed considerably, but luckily, with the convenience of modern technology and the Internet, we shared our information using the msn and ftp. Under the hard work of the entire team members, our work has gone smoothly and we were still able to divide our work and each member could familiarize himself with the progress of our research. (2) Our topic, Hualien’s lantern culture, needs collecting information from various places. We often had to make appointments very early in advance to get interviews. And then, the people we wanted to interview didn’t have much time to give us, and in addition, the students’ time was also unable to match theirs. We spent a lot of time trying to contact them and each other. But luckily, the volunteers and the parents helped us and our gains were bountiful. (3) Web page making skills are inadequate on the part of the students and teachers, which made us spend a considerable amount of time practicing.

5. Our Project Sound Bite

Just like what Mr. Wang told us time and again, the result that come from paying attention and trying to surpass oneself continually is sweet. With persistence and hard work, we will be able to reach our goal in the end.

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

At present, our school places great importance on the arrangement of integrated curriculum. Our competing at Cyberfair, is just the best example of integrated curriculum. We also used this opportunity to write a teaching plan, hoping to use this opportunity to lead our students and let them experience the actual side of socio-economic activities. From actual observation, the students can feel the pulse and dynamics of real art. The students of Zhong Zhen Primary School are extremely lucky to have this opportunity that other students don’t have in getting into close contact with artists . Living here in Hualien, we definitely won’t let the students miss this chance to get to know an educational opportunity belonging to this place. So, our teaching activity fully utilizes the on-hand teaching resources that we have in our locality. Generally speaking, from our study, we have learned the ability to write an essay, and to compile (language education); the control of the study plan procedure, the estimation of the budget (mathematics education); how to interview, to handle, to cooperate with our team members to form a capable team (humanities education); to handle web page images and editing (art and information education), and others, they are all the fruits of what we have learned. Actually, the process of web page study is precisely an example of cooperative learning. The teachers play the roles of leaders learning together with the students. This research activity made us realize, that under the mode of integrated curriculum, a student does not have to be bound inside the classroom, he can freely explore knowledge. The teacher, of course, has to have more educational resources. This is what we are trying to convey to our education administration authority. Also, the Internet uses actual teaching, its value is affirmed, although unfamiliarity and other games soft wares could cause a waste of time.

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Project Elements

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

During the making of the webpage research study, we used the telephone, msn to make contacts; we used mp3 record our interviews; the digital camera and digital video camera to get the pictures and images we need, and lastly, we used Photo-impact digital imaging software to make our pictures, word to write our data, Dream weaver web development soft ware to complete web-page study plan and our works. Of course, we also used the Internet to look for information we need, and we went to the library to look for old newspapers, this was how we got our information. Other tools include ftp, e-mail.

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

At the beginning of our study plan, we used the phone and msn to contact the people we wanted to interview, confirming the date, place, and draft the questions to be asked before hand. During the interview, we prepared mp3 recorder, to record the content of the interview. After going back to school, we had to re-arrange and put things in order. We also used a digital camera or a digital video camera to take photos. Several times of interviews and study, from the people we didn’t know, introducing our study plan, the process is already a kind of marketing, we are selling our school and the enthusiasm of the local enterprise. Even the ones we interviewed thought our research work could take its root from something small. That’s why after we have finished our work, a lot of people were very impressed and they gave us a lot of encouragement.

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

The topic of our research, lantern making is an art unique in Hualien. Many know about it, but not many understand it deeply. Through the process of propagating this form of artistry, we learned how to communicate and interact with people. With this opportunity of communicating with others, we learn about a simple yet practical view of life: to continuously make a break through and exceeding one’s capability. We hope that after in-depth study, this form of art will get to be learned and understood by more people in the community. Through this study, we will re-introduce with more depth the art of lantern making, so that everyone in Hualien can get to know more about this local art and the artists better and the struggles and hardships it had undergone that is worth admiring.

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

At the start, because we were not familiar with the topic, we didn’t know where to begin. Luckily, some teachers in our school know some teachers on lantern making and they gave us some directions as reference. And during the actual study process, a lot of people helped us, including: the residents in the community, our school principal, heads of the different departments and teachers. They either gave their opinions on what they think or told us how we can use these resources best, shared with us the history of the foundation, its transformation and its distinct features, etc. Mostly, we are grateful to all those teachers and students who joined in. With everybody’s help, our finished work could be shown to the world. Thanks again to those who helped us.

5) Discoveries, Lessons and Surprises (Optional)

While doing this project study plan, we discovered that paying attention, listening carefully all lead to knowledge and wisdom. The ones we interviewed had given us their thoughts, like doing something that one has interest in, finding an interest that one can do until one’s old. This has become our motto throughout our study, Of course, not everything went smoothly! From contacting people and visiting them, we had encountered many difficulties, making us realize that the key point to many works lies in us personally, how to deal with people, how to negotiate, how to control, handle, advance and retreat. All these are knowledge. We are glad that under the guidance of our teachers, we had this chance to learn. In our surroundings, we believe there are even more surprises waiting for us to unearth.

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View our CyberFair Project (Project ID: 7120)

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