Launch of Global Campus Xtra

Our Global Campus platform hosts a range of new Xtra activities to expand our students’ experiences and challenge them to do something different!

Our Global Campus platform has never been as important as it is right now with all of our 66 Nord Anglia Education schools around the world moving to virtual learning. The Global Campus connects 64,000 students worldwide through collaborations and competitions enabling them to share the learning that they are undertaking and their unique experiences.

Whilst our usual Global Campus activities are continuing, with the Visual Arts Competition entries currently being decided, and our Eco Committee submitting our Global Challenge entry for the year, we also recognise the importance of our students being able to move away from their screens and engage in learning outside of the formal taught curriculum, and this is where our exciting new Global Xtra activities are here to help.

Over the next few weeks, we’ll be launching activities related to our MIT, Juilliard and UNICEF Collaborations, our Expeditions programme, and a few stand-alone activities to enhance your child's virtual school experience.

BIG Question

Inspired by the work of Suagata Mitra’s School in the Cloud (see video below), over the next few months teachers from across our schools will be posing BIG Questions for our students, creating a self-organised learning environment. These questions will encourage the exploration of big ideas, confusing concepts, and quizzical facts; they are a learning adventure just waiting to happen. All students need to take part is a computer, an internet connection... and a bit of curiosity!

Every two weeks we will launch a new BIG Question which inspires a range of possible responses and has no easy answers. Students can explore their response to the big questions using all of the resources available to them - the internet, family and friends, books, films and music, their own ideas...the list goes on. When students find their answer, they must then think about how they would like to share it - maybe a video, an image, a poem, or a piece of writing. Responses should then be added to the Global Campus BIG Question response page (a reminder of how to log on can be found at the end of this article).

In Week 2, further follow up questions will be posted based upon the responses we receive. We encourage students to set up a group with their friends to discuss this together and develop ideas and responses collaboratively.

Taking part in the BIG Question gives everyone the chance to engage with others across boundaries and discover new perspectives, discover a joy for learning, research and think critically outside of the formal learning environment, and work together across cultures and borders in a spirit of international cooperation.

Week 1 BIG Question: What does Hope mean to you?

Week 2 follow up question: How can we inspire hope and happiness in our communities?

A new question will go live on Monday 20th April…

Xtra Challenges

As we’re all finding different ways of working in our Virtual School, now is the perfect time for our students to try new things and explore what happens when they get to use their time differently. The Global Campus Xtra Challenges have been chosen to encourage our students and families to do just that. Choose a challenge a day, one a week, or whatever you like, but have a go at something you wouldn’t normally try. We’re asking you to challenge yourself and discover your new awesome!

The challenges are sorted into five categories: Language and Culture, Health and Fitness, Design and Make, Arts and Crafts, and Personal Challenge. If you’re a parent with Junior or Secondary school-age children, simply log on to Global Campus using their account (following the guidance at the end of this article) and have a look at the challenges on offer. For our Early Years and Infants children, you can take part by submitting their challenges to Seesaw or to Ms Sarah (sarah.curran@bisvietnam.com). Each challenge has been given a star rating so you know how challenging it is, and they range from creating a cultural art installation to creating a healthy treat, to showing off some of your hidden talents. We’re looking forward to seeing what our families can do when they challenge themselves!