Digital Content Development of Folklore Artifacts and Activities 339 Fig. 3. The architecture for information interchange using XML among museums information and sending it from one component of software to another. Its syntax is relative simple to define a data format. XML include a family of technologies that can be leveraged to build highly extensible and interoperable software solutions. In this study, XML is used for exchange digital contents between different museums. For example, when a user is browsing the digital contents in Museum A, the digital con- tent of an artifact which is not preserved in this museum can be retrieved by asking Museum B to send an XML page containing all the related information of the artifact. Fig. 3 demonstrates the architecture enables information interchange using XML among different museums. 3 Results Figure 4 shows the homepage of the website supporting the digital preservation of folklore artifacts and activities. For each craft, skill, or ritual, a step-by-step video demonstration accompanied with either Chinese or English description can be se- lected. Table 5 demonstrates several examples of folklore activities digitized with video format. Figure 5 and Fig. 6 demonstrate the homepage of a partner museum and its digital contents of folklore artifacts collected by hobbyists and a folklore craft demonstrated by a folk artists, respectively. 340 P C. Chan et al. (a) (b) (c) (d) Fig. 4. Home page of the Taiwanese folklore museum for displaying (a) folklore artifact and (b) examples of the artifacts classified as the machinery and tools category shown on a web page, (c) an example of folklore activity, and (d) one of the steps Table 5. Examples of various folklore activities (a) Dough figurines (b) Bamboo utensil carving (c) Gongs and drums performance (d) Puppet show per- formance (e) Chinese traditional music per- formance (f) Bamboo weaving (g) Piece together the cloth (h) Nanguan performances (i) Art culti- vated in a pot (j) Pottery (k) Top spinning performances (l) Puppet head carving Digital Content Development of Folklore Artifacts and Activities 341 (a) (b) (c) (d) Fig. 5. (a) Main web page of the website; (b) Blog page for one hobbyist; (c) examples of a hobbyist’s collection; and (d) description of a collected artifact (a) (b) (c) (d) Fig. 6. (a) Web page for displaying main (parent) metadata record of bamboo weaving and the related web pages for showing child metadata records including (a) Step 1, (b) Step 2, and (c) Step 12, respectively 342 P C. Chan et al. 4 Discussion and Conclusion Folklore is believed to be an endangered, marginalized, or misunderstood field. Folk artists are honored to study and inherit the skills building upon earlier generation [9]. In this system, we propose an information exchange platform allowing folk artists and folklore hobbyists to exchange information regarding their own created or collected folklore artifacts and knowledge. The digitized contents contained in the platform complement the insufficiency of folklore artifacts collected in Taiwan Folklore Mu- seum. Additionally, hobbyists and professional folk artists of the folklore association have the potential to serve as folklore educators for preparing introductory materials and answering questions regarding their private areas of creation and collection. It is believed that a folklore learning platform containing digitized contents of artifacts and written information and knowledge folk arts is stimulating and interesting in motivat- ing students to learn. Each artifact collected in folklore museums and folklore hobbyists has its own story regarding religion, myth, folklore legend, ethnography, or anthropology. These materials and information are embedded in the learning system. After having learned deeply about our own folklore or culture, we can understand more about other cul- tures [9], which in turn can prevent conflicts among different peoples [2]. Further system development will focus on constructing stories, usages, and backgrounds of the artifacts to enhance learners’ impression and to promote their learning effect. Additionally, problem-based learning method will be added to this system. Learners are expected to complete the first-stage learning (as story background learning), and then to follow problem-based sub-system to build their complete folklore knowledge. When more senses are involved in the learning process, a greater impression is made and the longer the information stays with the learners [10,11]. An enriched environment with multi-sensory creates a thicker cortex within the brain, more den- drite branching, more growth of spinal nervous, and larger cell bodies that lead to cells that communicate better. Fauth [12] and Jensen [11] indicated that people retain 10% of what they read, 20% of what they hear, 30% of what they see, 50% of what they see and hear at the same time, 70% of what they hear, see, and say, and 90% of what they hear, see, say, and do. Jensen [11] also noted that most people learn many things at the same time due to the abilities of their brains to process concurrently vast amounts of information, emotion, and awareness. Einstein stated that he felt an idea first, and then experienced it through visual and kinesthetic images, before he was able to put the idea into words. Diamond [15] demonstrated that enriching the learn- ing environment changes the structure and ability of the brain’s cerebral cortex. All the above psychological and educational theory and studies support interactive learn- ing to be a more effective method for training of practical skills. The Website is be- lieved to be a useful tool in enhancing teaching and learning. Web- based interactive learning has lead to a new learning style, by migrating from teacher-centered to stu- dent-centered. In conclusion, the paper presents the digital contents which include folklore arti- facts and folklore activities developed in Taiwan Folklore Museum. Additionally, other digital contents developed in other museums or personal collectors can be re- trieved by using XML technique. The scheme supplements the insufficiency of the Digital Content Development of Folklore Artifacts and Activities 343 national or local museums and provides inter-museum architecture for supporting more complete contents for folklore education. Acknowledgments. 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The Association for Supervision and Curricu- lum Development, Alexandria, VA (1998) 12. Fauth, B.: Linking the visual arts with drama, movement, and dance for the young child. In: Stinson, W.J. (ed.) Moving and learning for the young child, American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, Reston, VA (1990) 13. Diamond, M.: Enriching learning. Macmillan, NY (1988) . support interactive learn- ing to be a more effective method for training of practical skills. The Website is be- lieved to be a useful tool in enhancing teaching and learning. Web- based interactive. preserved in this museum can be retrieved by asking Museum B to send an XML page containing all the related information of the artifact. Fig. 3 demonstrates the architecture enables information interchange. educators for preparing introductory materials and answering questions regarding their private areas of creation and collection. It is believed that a folklore learning platform containing digitized