School: Kaohsiung Vocational High School of Commerce
    Kaohsiung, Taiwan, R.O.C.

11 students, ages 16-17 worked together to complete this CyberFair project on March 9, 2011. They have participated in CyberFair in the following year(s): 3 years

Classes and Teachers: Ms. Chang Shiuchu,Ms. Kang Yunjing, Ms. Liu Yenhui, Ms. Chu Yuying, Mr. Wang Wenhsien, Class 201, Class 202, Class 210

E-Mail contact:

Our School's Web Site: http://163.32.94.102/~clothing

1. Description of Our Community

San-ming District, where our research company is located, is a combination of residential area, campus location ,companies, and factories. It is a booming and lively district where everybody is trying really hard to become successfully. Our target company Chia Yiou is moving forward with the people, manufacturing quality wicky shirts suitable for people living in hot and humid climate.

2. Summary of Our Project

Trying hard to let people know that the so-called 'sunset businesses' in Taiwan deserve the attention, we have been sparing no effort in pubicizing every detail about them. This time we focus on clothing. Once being a booming industry, like other traditional industries in Taiwan, clothing industry as a whole has been facing serious decline. However, some of them are trying some other ways of doing their businesses, one of whom is 'Chia Yiou the Clown Fish.' Doing OEM for a long time, 'Chia Yiou' finally owned its own brand 'The Clown Fish.' But owning its own brand name is only the beginning. In a sea of brand names from both local and international companies, 'Chia Yiou' has done a lot to have a share in the clothing market. Its story of success deserves everyone's attention.

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:2-3

C. Connection speed used in the classroom:dial-up modem

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):

Computer and Internet access in our school is very convenient. Everywhere you go on campus, you can log on to the Internet wirelessly. The city in which our school is situated, Kaohsiung City, is moving towards computerization.

4. Problems We Had To Overcome

Time allotment and management have been a problem for both students and teachers. Holding meetings was troublesome. Finally, separate group meeting sloved the problem. On the teachers' part, it was a burden. Teaching classes and monitoring the project almost used up their energy. But somehow we managed it by alloting the time of student monitoring and, often is the case, by cutting down rest time.

5. Our Project Sound Bite

Clothing industry, one of the so-called sunsey industries in Taiwan, is not necessarily declining. With the help of modern knowledge and technology, the store owners are able to find a way to upgrade and promote their products. 'Chia Yiou the Clown Fish' is one of these businesses.

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

We are a commercial school. Students have a course named 'Introduction to Business' in their first year. Not as a requirement but as encouragement, students are introducing to the field of schoo cyberfair competition. Though possessing background knowledge, most students were laymen of project writing. Even information collecting and sorting proved to be hard work. But they learned fast. After doing the project, they have learned what could not be learned in class, such as interviewing the owner and workers and dispatching questionnaires to passersby in the streets and inducing answers from them. Teachers also learned something: 'Trust the kids, they can do it.'

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

After recruited and teamed up, students were asked to collect information from both libraries and the Internet. They were then required to sort out and trim the data gathered. Not until various discussions with team members and teachers did students submit their completed project articles. Their real learnings began here. They were assign various tasks: the jobs of interviewing the workers in 'Chia Yiou' and passersby in the streets; in-field trips to the factory and outlet shop experiencing the staff's daily assignbments; and meetings with the owner and employees. All of these could not be accomplished without the help of books, newspapers, journals, telephone, digital cameras, tape recorders, upgraded computers at school and PCs at home, and librarians on and out of school.

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

By doing the project, students interviewed both Chia Yiou workers and buyers. On the workers' part, they knew actually they were not fighting alone. The public were appreciating their hard work and willing to accept their products as long as they were good; while on the buyers part, they realized there were still many people fighting very hard to make Taiwan known through excellent products with brand names. Through participating in Cyberfair competition, students publicize Taiwan, giving people from all over the world a chance to better understand Taiwan.

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

People will know that by using some ingenious ways, old things are not really bad and can be different. The buyers learn that Taiwanese businesses can make quality and inexpensive products. And the workers find that they are not alone in fighting to make quality porducts for local Taiwanese. Not only advertising agencies but also schools can help promote their merchandise, even globally.

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

Helpers were from various fields. Other teachers at school encouraged them or/and gave them valuable pieces of advice. Librarians on and out of campus also gave their due aasistance. Special help came from Chia Yiou's owner and employees. Of course, parents of the team members cound not be neglected, either. Without their persistent trust and care, this project might not be possible.

5) Discoveries, Lessons and Surprises (Optional)

The thing surprised students most was that company owner could be so humble and friend-like. They alos felt surprised at the passersby's willingness to fill out the forms and answer the questions once they knew the students were doing research.