VLE
Since 2003, The British School of Kuwait has been at the forefront of innovation in educational technology. Our eLearning initiative has fused the very best of traditional teaching and learning – a hallmark of BSK since its inception – with the resources, tools and opportunities provided by the very latest Information Technology.
We have successfully introduced and embedded a range of educational technologies throughout the school, always with a keen eye on providing the very best learning environment in Kuwait today.
Across the entire campus a wireless network is available to all of our students. This provides access to the school curriculum via our Virtual Learning Environment and also to the internet for research purposes. Obviously we strive to ensure that the information available is suitable for a school audience and as such all connections to the internet are routed via our proxy server and firewall.
Students and teachers all access the school wireless network via laptop computers. From Year 6 we require students to provide their own BSK-networked computer. The configuration process consists of:
For our younger students in Years 1 to 5, the school provides class sets of laptops which are either delivered to teaching rooms or are installed in computer laboratories. These laptops are used throughout the school day both for the delivery of specific Information and Communication Technology (ICT) lessons and also for use in other subjects as part of embedded ICT. In Reception we have a dedicated bank of desktop computers which are set up for the classes to share.
Since 2008, our teachers have been working on a project to move much of our curriculum online. In the Upper Department and Sixth Form almost every subject now has a very significant presence on our Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) and many have moved their entire courses online. Together with the very best teachers delivering the highest quality lessons, this fantastic resource has enabled the learning process to transcend the classroom and allows our students to make the most of the fabulous learning opportunities on offer at The British School of Kuwait whenever and wherever they choose.
The VLE is password protected and only available to currently registered students and teachers. The VLE may be accessed by clicking on the link in the top right corner of the every page of this website.
Once logged into the VLE, students may access their courses and review their lessons, select resources and find out what is going on, when work is due and what work they have to complete. Apart from the manifold advantages that the site has to offer both our teachers and students it also plays an increasingly vital role in allowing our students to become more independent, self-motivated and mature learners.
From Year 6 onwards, students are required to bring a BSK-networked laptop each day to all of their lessons. BSK recommends a minimum specification in order to ensure that students’ laptops will meet the needs of the curriculum. The minimum specifications are, subject to change, mirroring a constantly developing market and advances in our curriculum.
For students in the Middle Department a small netbook computer is ideal. New netbook models purchased today will almost certainly meet the minimum requirements of:
For older students, the smaller form factor of a netbook may still be sufficient but in some subjects that require specialist software a larger notebook computer would be more suitable. In particular, if a student is planning to take Graphics and/or Photography at IGCSE or AS/A Level then the larger screen afforded by a notebook is vital. The minimum requirements for student opting for these subjects is the same as above but 2GB of RAM should be considered necessary for the suite of graphics and photography software to run smoothly.
The school does not recommend Apple computers as the technical support available in school is specific to Microsoft Windows, and so students with other laptops cannot access the same degree of support.
Thanks to the continuous programme of investment at BSK, every classroom is now equipped with a SMART Board™. These allow our teachers to bring the most up-to-date information and the best of the web directly into their lessons. Students, especially in the Primary phase, are also active users of these boards, frequently engaging directly with the lesson content via the IWB. In November 2012, BSK was recognised as the first SMART Showcase School in Kuwait.
Mr John LeonardSenior Teacher (eLearning)Email: jol@bsk.edu.kw