On May 18, delegates from Apple Inc. – technology giant and purveyor of the coveted iPad – presented Beijing City International School (BCIS) with its prestigious Apple Distinguished School award. BCIS is the first international school in China to receive this honor.
BCIS provides the 1-to-1 Laptop Education Program for its middle and high schools, and the campus even has its own Apple Service Center. This close relationship with Apple, however, did not influence the decision to honor BCIS. In the words of Apple, Apple Distinguished schools “are schools that have been invited by Apple Inc. to participate in a program that recognizes and disseminates models of educational excellence and leadership, and are willing to share their program with other educators and institutions.”
Following the award ceremony, which was held in the middle and high school library, BCIS Learning Technologies Coordinator Will Percy gave a presentation detailing how the school integrates the Apple program into the school curriculum. He also explained what a valuable learning resource the Apple program is to both students and faculty.
After the ceremony, there was an open house attended school and greater community members. The open house featured a number of workshops explaining the how technology enhances the school’s program of enquiry-based learning. There were presentations on digital branding, a workshop on how film-making can encourages an intelligent thought process, and how to use film to help students learn real-world skills.
Photo courtesy of The Ticket Collector of Flickr
