CyberFair Project ID: 7491

Close this Window

NOTE: Due to URL changes, some links may no longer be valid.

International Schools CyberFair Project Narrative
Title: Dreams and Love in High Flight: Doremi and Emily's Sock Doll Wonderland
Category: 1. Local Leaders
URL: http://librarywork.taiwanschoolnet.org/gsh2013/gsh7491/
Bibliography: http://librarywork.taiwanschoolnet.org/gsh2013/gsh7491/narrative5.html

School: Da-cheng Elementary School
    Changhua, , Taiwan

8 students, ages 11-12 worked together to complete this CyberFair project on March 10, 2013. They have participated in CyberFair in the following year(s): No

Classes and Teachers: Team Members:Cherry Tsai, Julian Liu, Winnie Huang, Ashley Pai, Gaven Chang, Jeff Huang, Pason Ko, Emily Shih. Teachers: Chiu-Man Chang, Chun-Kai Huang, Yin-Ho Lai

E-Mail contact:

Our School's Web Site: http://www.dches.chc.edu.tw

Project Overview

1. Description of Our Community

Changhua County, situated in central Taiwan, during its early years was not only an agricultural center, but also home to many traditional industries, including the sock industry in Shetou. As time moved on, however, the sock industry began to fall into decline, and socks are no longer only worn to keep warm, but worn to appeal to aesthetic sensibilities. It was in the midst of this rising trend that the incorporation of socks into art in the form of products of cultural creative industry slowly grew to prominence, and though the actual progenitor of the first Sock Doll prototype is unknown, Ms. Doremi and Ms. Emily were the first to promote and teach how to make Sock Dolls in central Taiwan, by bringing together Changhua traditions and local industries to give birth to the new Sock Doll industry.

2. Summary of Our Project

This project is an introduction of Ms. Doremi Huang and Ms. Emily Yang of Changhua, the dynamic duo who played an indispensable role in the promotion of Sock Dolls in central Taiwan. These adorable Sock Dolls are already in themselves popular among adults and children alike, and with the innovative touches of Ms. Doremi and the stylized photographic profiling done for Sock Dolls by Ms. Emily, new vitality was infused into their Sock Dolls. Since entering the field of cultural creative industry with their first published book on Sock Dolls in 2007. They have enriched the creation of Sock Dolls with greater diversity, accumulating a steady fan base and group of followers, but it is above all their unwavering dedication to their original intention of doing good by supporting non-profit and charitable causes that truly merits praise and respect. Though the two may appear dull and plain in comparison to celebrities constantly under the spotlight, they for us are extraordinary leader figures in our community, from whom much can be learned.

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:more than 6

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

Our school can connect to the Taiwan Academic Network through a optical fiber network, and the ration of internet connection is one hundred percent. Students can transfer learning materials via E-mail or Facebook when they were home.

4. Problems We Had To Overcome

Interviewing: Before, we had no experience in interviewing, so our teacher asked us to go through lots of data, draw up a map for our website, and then come up with interview questions. Though we had simulated the procedures for interviews numerous times with the help of our teacher, during the first actual interview we still made more than a few mistakes. It was only through learning from trial and error in the succeeding interviews that we were able to gradually perform better.

Computer skills: We are mostly fifth graders, and though at first upon participation in Cyberfair almost everyone could neither type fast enough nor skillfully operate necessary the required software programs, we were lucky to have Mr. Huang with us, who during noon breaks would teach us the necessary skills we lacked. Our typing speed also increased over course of our research project.

Curricular pressure: A good number of us have to go to cram school at night, and it’s usually already 10 o’clock when we actually do get home and can begin working on our Cyberfair project—it was a lot of stress to handle. Some who as a result performed poorly on midterm exams were consequently forced by their parents to withdraw from the project altogether, but for the rest of us who remained and managed to pull through, we learned over the course of this project how to make good use of time.

5. Our Project Sound Bite

After interviewing Ms. Doremi and Ms. Emily, we came to realize why the two Teachers were willing to sacrifice and devote themselves to helping the underprivileged, and were able to truly feel the joy of helping others, to appreciate it is indeed 'more blessed to give than to take.'

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

Through Cyberfair Project we experienced the process of theme-based learning that consisted of deciding the research topic, collecting and reading materials and interviews, analyzing data, writing reports, designing webpage, and promoting research outcome. Course: 1.Language Learning Field 2.Social Studies Learning Field 3.Integrative Activities Learning Field 4.Arts and Humanities Learning Field 5.Iformation Education curriculum.

Top
Project Elements

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

Computer: Processing word, designing webpage, data collection, designing site map Digital camera: Taking pictures Digital vedio record: Recording interviews and activities Voice record: Recording interviews Printer: Printing data and papers Telephone: Communication Dreamweaver CS5: Creating and editing webpage Flash CS5: Designing animation of webpage PhotoShop / Gimp: Editing and modifying images Word / Writer: Processing word Facebook: File transfers and communication Gmail: File transfers and communication Google drive: Processing word FireFox / IE / Chrome: Broswering webpage, serch engine and data collection Power Point: Designing site map and powerpoint FileZilla: Uploading webpage

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

To let more people know about our research theme, in school, we organized a promotional tutelage session in class and a school-wide charity sale, and played the part of spokesperson by promoting our event and theme at one school-wise morning assembly before everyone to allow more people to know Ms. Doremi and Ms. Emily.

Outside of school, we went to Hemei Experimental School to conduct integrated teaching, Puli Church to give our Sock Dolls as Christmas presents to the children there, and Le-shuo Speech-Language Therapy Center to act as teaching assistants, as well as donated what we made from our charity sale to Tsz-sheng Care Facility. Through these events, we learned that though we may be insignificant, but we can nonetheless help more people so long as we have the heart to do so.

The most surprising interlude of all was that there were reporters who learned of our event and came to interview us, which was not only delightful but also testimony to our successful efforts as ambassadors.

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

The rationale behind our event design was to model after the example of the achievements of the two a series of experiences. Such events as promotional tutelages, charity sales, donations, and what not, were all events that Ms. Doremi and Ms. Emily have gone through, and so through the course of our own events we came closer to understanding their mentality of helping others, and were able to feel as moved and uplifted by a sense of accomplishment they felt upon seeing the smiles of the helped—an experience whose impact is unanticipated.

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

We would like to thank Dr. Sonia Chang of Le-shuo Speech-Language Therapy Center for providing the space and opportunity for us to hold our workshop; Director Wen-li Huang and Ms. Pei-suei Huang of Sixth Grade A Class for their indispensable contribution to the success of our event; Ms. Ching-yi Chang of Puli Church for offering us the chance of spiritual growth; Principal Wen-tsung Li and Ms. Min-hsiu Shi for organizing part in the planning of the charity bazaar, which facilitated the success of the bazaar. Thanks goes to Director Chun-chieh Wang, Ms. Yi-wen Chen, apprentice teachers Jen Liu, Ting-ting and Pei-chun for providing valuable opinions that has helped positively shape our research; to all of our parents, who have been fully supportive and cooperative throughout.

Top

View our CyberFair Project (Project ID: 7491)

Close this Window