In The Face of Evil Spirits Project Narrative

Explain how your project supports this year’s Cyberfair Theme:

The members of this research consisted of Grade 5’s and 6’s, and although everyone worked during their spare-time the research covered by this topic was closely related to last term’s syllabus.We demonstrated this simply with the following data:

“The angels facing evil spirits” Relationship between the research tutorials and associated school lessons
Subject	Grade 5 Classes	Research tutorials on “The angels facing evil spirits”	Grade 6 Classes
Language (Mandarin)	The jungle doctor - Schweitzer	Empathizing with the informants’ sacrifices in caring for the elderly
Language (Local)	Kataotao (body)	The mother-tongue used during interviewing and video-imagery	Kataotao (body)
Language (English)	Ginger-bread House restoration activity	Invite the elderly to participate in the Ginger-bread House activity at the school	Ginger-bread House restoration activity
Mathematics	Statistical Diagrams	Population and distribution of the elderly in the village Disease ration and investigation on cause of death	Percentage and Ratio
Sociology	Thinking of the Past (Aborigines on the Island)	Traditional culture, belief and real-life Social responsibility and principle of aid	Lifestyle and culture
Health & Sports	Stress management	Discussion of problems and insight-sharing Research progress and self-adjustment	Resolving conflicts
Combined Activities	What is the service? An appointment with the volunteers	What is a volunteer Job description of volunteers caring for the elderly Service and Interaction Joy of providing service	Change thought to action
Elastic (Information)	msn guide Elderly in the village (video-imagery part)	Learning of tools of interviewing Practicing photography skills	msn guide Skype guide Elderly in the village (caring part)

Furthermore, concerning the integrated curriculum at school, by that learnt in “Language” the students carried an appropriate attitude and used the diagrammatic and statistical concepts, learnt from “Mathematics”, to plot the elderly population distribution in the different villages and compare the data with the number of volunteers in the Lanyu Homecare Association, to determine their workload.The group relationship explored in “Sociology” and the care and respect that needed strengthening in “Combined Activities” were also the major concepts for this research, while learning during “Arts and Humanitarianism” when the webpage’s layout was outlined, emphasis placed on proper living environment, maintenance and disease prevention during “Health and Sports”, utilization of information tools in “Information Education”, thoughts on relationship between the two sexes during “Sexual Equality Education” and the protection of a person’s most basic respect and rights during “Human Rights Education”, had all intersected to weave out this research.Multiple learning goals are the basics of a good curriculum, and students can receive understanding during the process of learning while they comprehended the goals of the curriculum.

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

Equipment

Equipment Name	Purpose
Digital Camera	Photographing the pictures required and our progress
Card-reader	Transferring the photographed images
Pen recorder	An important tool when interviewing the volunteers and local people
webcam	An important equipment for interviewing the main informant
Computer	Searching for associated data, design questionnaire, making the webpage and reports
Printer	Printing the planned questions’ outline
Telephone	Communication and coordination during this event
Fax	Transmitting associated information
Library	Searching for associated information
Face-to-face Interview	Homecare Association Office, Lanyu Website, Homes of the cared elderly

Software Part

Software Name	Purpose
Word 2003	Making the outlines for interviews and compilation of data
PowerPoint 2003	Making learning lists and collecting data reports
Frontpage 2003	Making the webpage and report page
Skype2.0(beta)	Internet telephone program – used when interviewing the main informant
msn7.5	Online interaction with the teacher and main informant as well as for transferring files
PhotoImpact 8.0	Editing the photographs taking during interviews
FlashMX	Making simple animations
InterNet	Searching for associated data

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

　　 The data collection involved in this topic was grouped into internet resources, literature, interview data, visits and personnel feelings.During arrangement of the interviews the interviewees’ response to the research team were mostly surprise and encouragement!“Surprise” as in, how would children complete such an enormous project topic?But unlimited encouragements were also offered!Perhaps by leaving aside the concerns for traditional views they hoped that the children will be more able to face this world with caring hearts!During the interview, observation, recording and compilation processes the children had bit-by-bit completed the various parts of this research, and during interactions had also allowed the main informant and community member to re-feel all the feeling obtained from the process!Whether it was the digital exchange when utilizing the information tools, the face-to-face interviews or pre and post- discussions, although the completion of this research was achieving the learning goals determined beforehand, but all the feelings produced during the learning process was the main power that had affected the students and community to care for the elderly people.

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

　 Although perhaps this research topic had been a shocker for the community parents and members, however, with the help from the good long-term relationship that was established between the school and community, many parents were willing to provide support through “unorthodox” methods for the school’s research, including homecare staff Mrs. Bao-gui Chiang, volunteer Mrs. Cai-lan Shi, former volunteer Mrs. Bai-chi Chiang and Mrs. Chi-yu Hsieh we well as the Head of Parent’s Committee, Mr. Yung-chuan Hsieh, especially.Thinking back to the beginning when we asked Mr. Yung-chuan Hsieh to share his published article with the students, his initial hesitation was due to the eclecticism and thoughts concerning “traditional culture” and “education”, but the decision ultimately impacted him greatly.

　　 While our students were learning, the village also grew and culture continued to change.The village residents’ traditional thinking concerning the concept of “death” was also gradually transforming, it was a change that responded to being stimulated by all the factors in living, and due to this, we believe that we may provide even more caring for the elderly people in future.I think that this is not a rebellion against traditional culture, but rather an extension and growth of culture.

Intellectual Property Right:

　　Due to the collected data being mainly interviews, and as many individuals were unwilling to share their personal information or interview content by only allowing partial disclosure, thus during data collection we had requested the students to clearly explain the aim of this research and obtain consent for data disclosure.In situations where private information was involved the alternative names were used so that the intrusions into the interviewees’ lives were lessened.The interviewees also received paper and verbal feedback of the obtained data in order to establish a trusting relationship between the researcher and interviewee, which were research ethics that the students were required to practice during researching.

　　 With regards to reference material and photographic data, we allowed the students to learn how to use the format used for referencing information, which though was incomplete and required alterations by the guidance teacher or volunteers, was a necessary process for the researchers to show responsibility in presenting their data.This also included the establishment of the idea of intellectual property rights, so that the students could comprehend the difference between “reference” and “plagiarism”.

Discoveries, Lessons and Surprises

　　When this research topic was chosen in the beginning, in fact it was not the first choice of the students and since this topic was overly profound and deep, as the guidance teacher I was also afraid that I would not be able to effectively instruct these children to complete a topic such as this!　
　
　　Truly, all the anticipated problems had occurred one by one, but the support and assistance that was expected from the school, community and teachers had not only timely appeared but also far exceeded its predicted power!I then realized that in fact some things are not impossible, they just needed more and better preparation.The students are not without abilities, they just needed a structured assistance and guidance, the community did not stubbornly followed tradition, they just needed stimulation and some thinking, and the parents did not have poor parenting abilities, but you just have to involve them into the school at appropriate times!

　　In addition, the investment and concern expressed by the students during the process was not only towards the research itself, but also to the people, objects and matters involved.The students could break free from indifference and intolerance and was willing to feel with their hearts, which evolved into actions and implementation.Perhaps what the students can achieve now is little, but this seed filled with caring love was planted into their hearts, and perhaps one day it will become a tree soaring into the clouds to shelter their home, or into forests to protect the whole tribe.This was not simply discovery and surprise, but a most sincere expectation for these research students.

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