Ok parents, admit it, you would have LOVED to have the resources that your kids have access to today. Stay tuned with us as we take a closer look at the coolest clubs, classes, and gadgets that are available to your kids at Beijing’s international schools.
Beijing City International School (BCIS) is an integral member of YueCheng Education. Founded in 2005, BCIS is a non-profit private school located in Beijing’s central business district (CBD). Approved by the Education Committee of Chaoyang District, Beijing, BCIS is a fully authorized International Baccalaureate (IB) World School accredited by Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) and the Council of International Schools (CIS).
YueCheng Education is committed to inspiring passionate, forward-thinking learners. Its mission is to enrich and enhance learning by empowering its member institutions that include Beijing City International School, YueCheng Kindergartens, YueCheng Education Research Institute, Learning Frontier, and Reading Frontier.
BCIS is a future-focused school, employing innovative educational practices and comprehensive learning strategies, and guiding and supporting students to make informed choices and creating unique life stories. The rigorous curriculum at BCIS creatively and authentically implements the Chinese national curriculum. Through personal learning experiences, BCIS students are challenged to be proactive thinkers and purposeful doers. Expert academic staff empower students by supporting and equipping them with the skills and capabilities needed to succeed in an uncertain future. Programs are implemented by an experienced and diverse faculty consisting of teachers from 20 different countries. BCIS is the center of a compassionate community that provides a home in the hustle and bustle of China’s capital city, and which is a hub of activity and care. Since 2009, BCIS has had over 400 graduates, spreading to over 20 different countries in their chosen universities around the world.
How Does BCIS Teach Tech Literacy?
What’s the best place in Beijing to learn about robots, computer programming, app development, and more? In the BCIS Makerspace and Design Technology (DT) facilities of course!
At BCIS, personalized future-focused learning prepares students for a rapidly changing world full of wondrous technology. Nowhere is this emphasis on technological literacy more evident than the Makerspace and DT classrooms, where students build the skills they need to succeed in a hi-tech world. Whether it’s basic programming or developing a brand-new phone app, when it comes to cutting-edge tech training for students, BCIS has it all!
Tech exploration starts at the BCIS Early Childhood Center (ECC) and Elementary School (ES), where students visit the Makerspace to use tools and technology to create fantastic projects. Students can make anything they imagine using 3D printers and laser cutters. One laser cutting machine allows young learners to sketch up their idea on paper and then cuts it for them!
Students from Grades 1-5 can safely explore these fascinating tools to turn their dreams into reality. Using their iPads, students combine their designs with digital modeling using Tinkercad digital design software. In addition to the plethora of tools in the Makerspace, students can also work with basic programming using Micro:bits and Meowbits to dive into the world of programming.
As students move to the BCIS Secondary School (SS), they continue their deep dives into different types of technology. In DT, students engage in investigative projects on subjects such as programming through projects centered around various tech tools. This past year, students in DT were able to assemble and program their own robots to perform problem-solving tasks and compete against other robotics teams. Starting with Lego robotics kits, students can move up to VEX robots where more complex programming and problem-solving are needed.
If robotic tech wasn’t cool enough, students eventually move away from kits and into working on integrated technology. The BCIS DT room comes with an abundance of components, from circuits and batteries to sensors that can measure rainfall and solar energy. As students begin to explore integrated tech, they take control of their learning, finding problems to solve themselves.
For example, one student last year designed a rotating solar panel that used a censor to track the position of the sun and move the panel. This added an additional 33 percent efficiency to the panel’s output, generating more energy and improving efficacy. After investigating integrated tech, SS students go on to hone their programming skills and develop their own mobile apps.
The projects students create in-class are not the only cool use of the technology found all around the BCIS campus. The school offers an array of exciting Enrichment Activities (EAs) that enhance student learning beyond the scope of the classroom. Interested students can join EAs to sharpen their tech talents, such as the Circuits EA, where students built their own 3D printer, or the Robotics EA, where teams build robots for competitions. All these wonderful curricular and extracurricular opportunities inspire students to be leaders in the technology-focused world of tomorrow!
Address: Main Campus: 77 Baiziwan Nan Er Road, Chaoyang District 北京市朝阳区百子湾南二路77号
ECC Campus: 11 Dongbai Street, Chaoyang District 北京市朝阳区东柏街11号
WeChat: 北京乐成国际学校BCIS
Contact: 8771 7171 (Main Campus), 6770 0766 (ECC Campus), admissions@bcis.cn
Web: www.bcis.cn
Images: BCIS
