School: Hsin Yi Junior Hi and Elementary School
    Changhua, Changhua County, Taiwan

20 students, ages 13-14 worked together to complete this CyberFair project on March 12, 2013. They have participated in CyberFair in the following year(s): 2012

Classes and Teachers: LEE,CHENG-YING;ZHAO,ZHI-XIONG;LIN,LI-GUAN;XU,QI-XIAN;ZENG,PEI-YU;ZHAN,WEI-TIN;XU,YUE-LIN;HUANG,HUANG-CHUN;YANG,FU-ZHEN;LAI,PEI-ZHUN;ZHANG,CHENG-YI;YANG,WAN-YIN;EN,YI-RU;LIN,QI-YIN;CHEN,JIE-YING;WANG,YONG-HONG;ZHANG,XUAN-YUN;WANG,SHENG-XUAN;ZHAN, QIAO-JUN

E-Mail contact:

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

1. Description of Our Community

Changhua is the middle of Taiwan and developed agriculture and aquaculture in ancient Taiwan age. Therefore, Changhua is an interesting and friendly city. Visitors are attracted by Changhua because of delicious snacks and scenic spots. Unfortunately, many stores or stands in common use plastic bags to sell food. The plasticizer causes pollution which seems to be forgotten. Today we want to discuss the issue of plasticizer and hope that we can make more people aware of the problem and understand this issue.

2. Summary of Our Project

The 2011 Taiwan food scandal was a food safety scandal in Taiwan over the use one of plasticizer - DEHP to replace palm oil in food and drinks as a clouding agent. The chemical agent has been linked to developmental problems with children as it affects hormones. The food affected includes beverages, fruit juices, bread, sports drinks, tea, and jam. Plasticizer is an additive to make stuff soft. Heal Authorities had found manufacturers were guilty of using illegal additives, plasticizer into food in 2011. This caused deep horror for all the citizens. Around our living environment, we can find lots of plastic products. However, it means plasticizer harm our health and environment getting worse and worse. We hope that our study can make more people aware of plasticizer, the influence ecological environment or news issue in plasticizer. We will also try our best for our living environment. In our research team, we will follow the topic as below:

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

4. Problems We Had To Overcome

We faced challenges when we design the webpage. For students’ limited experiences, it’s difficult for them to design a website. Lots of them learn new imagery software during the process. Teachers help them to design the website by following the outline of the organization. Also, it’s not easy to arrange On-the-spot investigation. We have to make survey by questionnaire and interview the local residents. Before that, we have to check every detail, such as the traffic transportation and the interview schedule. Besides, in Taiwan, Junior high students have stress of lots of subjects to study and homework to do after school. However, it was touched to see students do the project on weekends and holidays.

5. Our Project Sound Bite

The aim of national education is to teach students to obtain basic knowledge and to develop the capacity for lifelong learning, in order to cultivate able citizens who are mentally and physically healthy, helpful to the community, with vision creative and have a positive attitude, and a global perspective. Through participating in International Schools Cyberfair, we make our efforts to reach these goals, protect the environment and resources on the earth, and to make it sustainable develop.

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

Every government hopes that the school system will produce outstanding citizens with a sense of patriotism and the ability to adopt a global perspective. Grade 1-9 Curriculum in Taiwan, in essence, is a learning process to help students explore their potential as well as develop their capacity of adapting and making necessary efforts to improve their living environment. Given that, the following five basic aspects are emphasized and included in Grade 1-9 Curriculum designed for the new century: developing humanitarian attitudes, enhancing integration ability, cultivating democratic literacy, fostering both indigenous awareness and a global perspective, and building up the capacity for lifelong learning. Our research is based on the natural Characteristics of Changhua County. Through Cyberfair project, We lead the students to develop humanitarian attitudes and a global perspective. We also guide the students to participate and learn through on the spot investigation. Following the School-based curriculum, we learned information skills and do our best to protect the environment. During the process, we learn to respect, communicate, and organize through team work. Sometimes, we work together on a project but doing different things, therefore, we have to learn how to cooperate, how to observe, how to make the record, and how to interview. Students enhance their integration ability from the plasticizer project and concern about making necessary efforts to improve their living environment.

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

As the development of technology, we expect our students to use information technology products during the research. For example, to use digital pen recorder during interview, use digital camera to shoot a film, and gather information from internet. Besides, we use telephone, watch videos, read newspapers, scan pictures, and edit articles. We benefit from information tools and technologies as following: Hardware: desk-top computer, notebook, digital camera, digital pen recorder, scanner, and printer. Software: Dreamweaver, Frontpage, Namo, Photoimpact, Microsoft Word, Outlook Express, Internet Explorer, ACDSee, Cuteftp, and Flash. Internet: Web and Ftp Server, ADSL, Network hard drive, guestbook and e-mail.

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

In our project, we need to understand the plasticizer into food. In addition to search information from internet, we gather information by on the spot investigation. During on the spot investigation, we visit a lot of places and lots of interviewees and parents can understand the meaning of the project. We hope we can arouse people to protect the environment, and we share and link our project website to our school website for all teachers can use it for environmental teaching materials and welcome the comments.

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

Through internet resources, we awaken people to know and concern about our living environment. It shows we make our effort to advance information education. In Grade 1-9 Curriculum Goals, our government put emphasis on school-based curriculum development. By doing the project, we did our best to do the research. Education work need to be practice and promote gradually. We believe give will reap the greatest harvest.

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

In addition to search and integrate the information, we spent lots of times to do on the spot investigation. During interview, we met people from different jobs. With their warmhearted assistance, we can understand more. We really appreciate that. On the other hand, we need to learn the manner and skills when doing the interview. So, we train ourselves with great attitude and response skills. We hope we can show our best to the others. We also thankful for the parents, school volunteers, the head of a subdivision of the district, and the interviewees for their enthusiastic help.

5) Discoveries, Lessons and Surprises (Optional)

During research process, we learn to humble ourselves and cherish the value of life. During team work, in the beginning, we had difficulty to cooperate with others, but we learn to consider each other, communicate sincerely, and be responsible. And finally we insist our goal and finished the study. That’s our great achievements.