School: Dayuan International Senior High School
    Taoyuan, N/A, Taiwan

5 students, ages 16-17 worked together to complete this CyberFair project on March 14, 2012. They have participated in CyberFair in the following year(s): none

Classes and Teachers: Yi-Rung Chen

E-Mail contact:

Our School's Web Site: http://www.dysh.tyc.edu.tw/

1. Description of Our Community

The Baosheng Community in Guanyin, Taoyuan, a less well-known waterfront community, is located in Kuanyi’s beach. Baosheng Community silently guarded the precious “algal reefs”. Baosheng community and it surroundings have been through land expropriation from Taiwan power plant. Algal reefs at Guanyin area still continued to face the waste water of industrial zone. It growls in this complex society, as small stones were thrown into the sea-- small ripple was quickly covered by the waves. But Baosheng community and public care continue to use the power little by little to concern and preserve our “algal reef”.

2. Summary of Our Project

The issues about ecological conservation appear constantly. Therefore, we decided to choose “algal reefs” as the project topic. We found that most people know more about the coral reefs but few people know what “algal reefs” are. In order to make public more understand algal reefs, we will introduce their formation and the reason why it disappeared rapidly, and also the scholars’ view and the Government’s attitude about this issue. We not only hope the public could know the preciousness of “algal reefs”, but also hope that we can pay more attention to ecological conservation.

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:1

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

1. The speed of our school's net : 12.85 mbps 2. The use of telecommunications : Chunghwa Telecom(ADSL) 3. Web Browser : Google Chrome and Firefox 4. Search Engine : Yahoo and Google

4. Problems We Had To Overcome

At first, we knew that doing this research project is exhausting and time-consuming. From field trips in the beginning, because the place is in the Guanyin and our dwelling is a little far away from Guanyin, so the traffic is a problem. Besides, in school, we need to change the classrooms between lessons(block system)and we are in different classes, thus, we didn’t have enough time to discuss, and often need to spare holiday time to come out to research. In addition, to get deeper understanding of the Guanyin algal reefs, we went to Guanyin many times. Because of the far distance, we always went home with exhausted body. In the process of doing the report, due to lacking of experience, we often ran into difficulties and didn’t know how to do; on the other hand, we also need to pay attention to our schoolwork, under dual pressures of our schoolwork and research project, it led to the procrastinating progress of doing the report. Although the process of doing the report is tough, the teacher’s support and assistance as well as our division of labor and cooperation, give us more motivation and determination to complete the research project.

5. Our Project Sound Bite

Even the process is hard and exhausting. Looking back and thinking, as long as we can make a contribution to our homeland, everything is worth it.

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

Because our school takes block system, so after finish the class, it’s not easy to discuss with different classes of students. Thus, we must spare time to come out to meet and then embark on discussion. Although the time is not convenient, it let me know that I should learn to tolerate and yield. To the progress of the team, sometimes we had to lay our personal matters behind to make progress make progress. The activity is related to the protection of the ecosystem, it made us think of the concept of 'sustainable development' in the geography textbook, we understand more the knowledge in the geography textbook through field trips. In addition, as doing this topic, we left a message on’’ Council for Cultural Affairs Taiwan community’’ and have the opportunity to contact, we hope the community can help us understand algal reefs all more, and the Director Mr. Liu also readily promised us. Though we were nervous to the telephone contact, but with the increase of the number of meetings, replaced with the community sense of identity and intimacy, we also trained up emotions with the chairman and the director as teachers. Introducing algal reefs, they also made us understand the ecological changes around and near the threats of pollution. We could also catch crabs and enjoy the beautiful sunset. It made us determine to complete the project— We must to guard it!

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

Voice recorder-- to record interviews with the Director-General of the Baosheng community content Computer software-- Google Earth to query the rough location of the algal reefs and other industrial scope.... Internet--Upload, integration, and query data ... Camera--Take the photo of algal reefs Phone--Contact with the Director-General Questionnaire--Analysis of the views of the people on the Goddess of Mercy and algal reefs by the questionnaire Site visits--In-depth understanding of the profiles of algal reefs Library--Looking for relevant research reports

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

We hope that we can let more people know the presence of algal reefs by the thematic research. Algal reefs are very precious natural resources. Suffered from a lot of damage, a large algal reefs in the past only remain a small part. In addition to finding the relevant information about algal reefs, we also went to the beach to find out what 'algal reefs' is, as well as listened to the member from local community associations to introduce that for us. We were unfamiliar to algal reefs. But we understood how precious it has been from this topic. So we hope that more people will able to recognize algal reefs. And to treat it gentle. That's why we translated the content into English. So that there will be more people in the world know what kind of ecological resources Taiwan have! As a member of the earth, we should devote to conserving our environment and our country in order to achieve sustainable development. Most of this entire topic is not only make everyone 'know' the algal reefs but urge everyone to fulfill the responsibility of caring for the environment, and don't destroy it anymore.

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

Discovering that not many people deeply study on “algal reefs”, and only a small number of scholars have some studies on this topic, we chose algal reef as the theme to do our project .In this regard, I think we have the advantage. In addition, when we go field trip for research, we not only went to the beach ourselves to know the algal reef but also participated in beach cleaning activities held by Baosheng community to protect the beautiful sea. Nevertheless, we more clearly understood how serious the impact of industry on the ecological environment, and many plants and animals were killed. Regarding this, our project also proposed the conservation measures, which maybe could awaken people’s sense of crisis to conservation via the study and also hoped that conservationist could inspire from this study. We understood more about the characteristics of algal reefs by making the research project, and make the locals and strangers know Guanyin Township is not only famous for the lotuses but also the algal reef.

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

In addition to collecting related information about the community from library and Internet, it is also very important to do the field trip and visit and interview with the residents, who can provide the history of the community and the information about algal reefs, which cannot be found on the Internet or books. Therefore, having a lot of people in this community to work on this project is really great!