School: Da’an Elementary School
    Taipei City , Taiwan (R.O.C.) , Taiwan (R.O.C.)

13 students, ages 12-13 worked together to complete this CyberFair project on March 4, 2014. They have participated in CyberFair in the following year(s): 2005, 2006, 2007,2008,2009,2012

Classes and Teachers: Mr. Kuo-ching Yang, Ms. Guei-fan Lin, Ms. Yun-chieh Huang, Mr.Cheng-shan Liu,Mr.Kuo-pin Ho, Mr. Che-chang Liu,Ms Yi-huei Guo,Ms Shu-hui Tsai

E-Mail contact:

Our School's Web Site: http://www.taes.tp.edu.tw/

1. Description of Our Community

Our school is located by the end of the Wo-Long Street in Da An District. With the heavy traffic, there are some near thirty funeral-related business especially gathered along the street. Besides the Second Mortuary House, there are also tombs and Columbarium on the nearby hillside. These form the 'funeral street block' with features. Due to the operations of the stores all related to the dead, residents not only consider these stores are unlucky, but also bring unrest and fear to them. In addition, running business in the residential area also affects the living quality of the community, even contributes as the main cause to the decrease of the housing price. Finally, prior to the resolution of the issue, we wish both the operators to more listen to the voice of residents and to bear the self-disciplines, and the government to face and to negotiate in assisting the disputes between operators and residents to create win-win situation.

2. Summary of Our Project

Life cycle is a must-through process. Although we seem far from death, but we know clearly that we fear for death of our lives and the close people around us. After death, what could we bring--money, mansion, fame? None. The only thing we may bring to the next life is 'assert oneself and live the value.' When we on the death bed, we should learn how to face death, and care for the relatives facing the death, relieve their pains and let them feel warmth. During the study, we may feel the true inner sadness, and see the real emotions of life at many times. Should we understood the meaning of life, we shall not be afraid of speaking of death. Rather, we face to death and think about how to cherish the whole thing around us as well as each moment.

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

4. Problems We Had To Overcome

(1) Overcoming psychological fear The topic is a big challenge for us. This is our very first close contact to funeral house and Columbarium. We thought it would be gloomy, but after visiting the environment and facilities, we felt that it could be humane and warm. We then were not so afraid of death, but rather appreciated the preciousness of life. At first, we knew not much about the mortuary service industry, due to schoolmate Chen's father is the boss of a mortuary company, through his references, we got acquainted with many other business people in the industry who let us knew much better of the contents of the work, and further eased our difficulties of doing the research. (2) Uneasy to arrange time to interviews We interviewed the Chief of the Second Mortuary House, Manager of Zion Castle Mortuary Park, and other people working in the mortuary industry. Due to their busy work that could not cope with our schedule to make regular appointments. We needed to constantly contact them to arrange the time for the interviews to accomplish the tasks. (3) Difficulties in making the Web Pages In making the website, we must apply plenty software that were considered difficult for us as beginners. Therefore, we often used spare time to discuss with teachers, plus trials and practices over and over again. We gradually overcame the difficulties and got familiar with making website. We eventually received confidence.

5. Our Project Sound Bite

In this journey, we learned lots of precious experiences and knowledge. Especially the content of the study is about the mortuary industry. Through the visits and interviews, and data collecting, we further understood the value of life and the issue of life and death. Although there were a bit of fear in the beginning; however, after knowing and being contacts, we gradually realized that death was not so fearful. During the research process, there were impressive bits here and there. We remembered the nervous and unrest feelings in visiting the environment and facilities in the Second Mortuary House and the Zion Castle Mortuary Park and the interviews with aunts and uncles working in the mortuary industry. We could never forgot. Eventually, we wish to make a website that is on the one hand full of living substance, and on the other hand inspiring life value.

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

A. A Combination of Life Education Course Paying respect to life and cherishing life is an important aspect of life education. In this project, through various life experiences and sharing of the Chief of the Mortuary House, Cosmetizer of the Deceased, Regimentation staff, professional mourning woman, and other mortuary-related personnel, we were assisted to build meaning and value of self-life in a correct attitude, and to learn acceptance and respect to others, that made us treasure life further. B. A Combination of Local Education Course The subject matter is the customs related to funeral and mortuary. Therefore, in the study, we need to survey mortuary house, the Ziron Castle Mortuary Park, and the mortuary street near the school to construct the research contents. We then used Wednesday afternoons and weekends to pay visits to each locations to collect data and photography. With our footprints, we pay visits to each corner of the community to gradually understand better the culture and history of our community; we further by understanding to protect our homeland with concrete actions. C. A Combination of Natural and Living Technology Education Course The fruition of the research applied plenty technological tools, including computers, internet, recoding pen, digital camera, and so on. Through digital camera and recoding pen, we comprehensively recorded our visit footprints; and by using school internet, we looked for data and uploaded our progress and reflections to the internet at any time. Most importantly, we applied all sorts of software and hardware that we learned to make the website of our research results to share our joy and harvest. D. Mathematics Field Questionnaire is one of the sources for our research. By using classification of the returned questionnaires and quantification analysis of the percentage by computer to form the statistic graphs, we conducted the analysis and descriptions.

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

Oral interview:Personal visits and interviews with mortuary-related personnel to know more about life regimentation information. Internet:Searching related-web to collect information needed on internet. Digital camera?recording pen:Photographing and tape-recording during the visits. scanner?printer :Image treatment by using scanner and photocopy data by using printer. telephone?fax machine:Through telephone and fax machine to contact and connect with the interviewees. FTP?E-mail:Pass over and storage pictures and the related data taken by the team emmbers. USB?CDRW:To save the project-related data to Pc that is unconnected to web. Drawing Board:Through image graphics to let the web pages more vivid and more interesting. software:Dreamweaver?PhotoImpact?FlashFXP?Office......

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

Once we commenced the scope and subject of our research , we then aimed the nearby mortuary house and mortuary industry. After discussing between teachers and students, we reached the consensus that we visit and interview the Second Mortuary House as the subject. The Chief of it not only introduced the operations of the House, but also talked about his viewpoint about life. He also asked Miss Koo to provide data and contacted Cosmetizing staff for the deceased to assist us to accomplish the research. In addition, we selected classmate's father who conducts mortuary business to visit. He not only provided us plenty data and photos, also cared for our research progress, and further offered his idea and opinions to enrich our contents. With these visits, we then successfully finished visits of Ziron Castle Mortury Park, fake money store, paper wrapping store, florist, and other mortuary personnel. Besides, Principal and Directors of our school have been fully supportive to our activities. In the morning gathering session, Principal and Directors let all the students knew that we were conducting the research project and please deliver the message to the parents to provide any resources to assist our team. The Chief of the mortuary house, uncles of the related business, Principal and Directors of our school could be said the best 'Ambassador' and spokesman in the community and at school.

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

A. Influence to us After participating in the project, being collecting data or visiting or interviewing, we felt the hardship of each industry, and also felt the efforts they made. We then should cherish what we have that parents offered to us. Especially, we further realized the value of life and the issue of life and death. We would live our lives more easily and make our lives better. B. Influence to the Local Long time since our community has been co-existed with mortuary house and mortuary industry, people cast a stereotype impression on our community. In fact, the major reason is that people did not think further about the meaning of this--we all need to face the issue of life and death. Especially after one passed away, one needed the staff of mortuary industry to perform a graduation ceremony. As long as we not to afraid of talking about death and try to understand the necessity of the existence of mortuary industry, we then may change the stereotype impression of the outside world.

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

Once we commenced the scope and subject of our research , we then aimed the nearby mortuary house and mortuary industry. After discussing between teachers and students, we reached the consensus that we visit and interview the Second Mortuary House as the subject. The Chief of it not only introduced the operations of the House, but also talked about his viewpoint about life. He also asked Miss Koo to provide data and contacted Cosmetizing staff for the deceased to assist us to accomplish the research. In addition, we selected classmate's father who conducts mortuary business to visit. He not only provided us plenty data and photos, also cared for our research progress, and further offered his idea and opinions to enrich our contents. With these visits, we then successfully finished visits of Ziron Castle Mortury Park, fake money store, paper wrapping store, florist, and other mortuary personnel. Besides, Principal and Directors of our school have been fully supportive to our activities. In the morning gathering session, Principal and Directors let all the students knew that we were conducting the research project and please deliver the message to the parents to provide any resources to assist our team. The Chief of the mortuary house, uncles of the related business, Principal and Directors of our school could be said the best 'Ambassador' and spokesman in the community and at school.

5) Discoveries, Lessons and Surprises (Optional)

First conducting the topic, as many others, we held the attitude of dare not touching and discussing of dealing with afterlife matters; however, after we boasted our courage to pay visits to the facilities and procedures of mortuary house, and interviewed the mental journey of the personnel of mortuary industry, we then realized the inner most sadness; and in the meantime, to see the truest feelings of people facing death. Should we realized the life meaning, we would not be afraid of speaking of death; rather, we would look into death and consider how to cherish the moment and everything around us. This is the biggest discovery and wonder of the study. Most importantly, the research process reminded us the greatest reflections and lessons are to care for and to accompany parents while they are alive; there is in vain to burn any more paper fake money and treasury to them when they passed away.