The first International Baccalaureate (IB) World School in China, Beijing Huijia Private School shares how it adopted Britannica as a tool to help students cultivate their research abilities and take ownership of their learning.
Key Takeaways:
• Britannica School supports Huijia students in developing self-directed learning skills, empowering them to conduct independent research and explore topics on their own.
• For bilingual learners, Britannica School’s differentiated content and reading scaffolds provide valuable language support, helping students engage with material at the right level.
• Britannica School aligns with the IB curriculum, offering trusted multimedia content and resources that teachers can easily integrate into their unit plans.
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Trailblazing IB Education in China
Established in 1993, Beijing Huijia Private School has been preparing its students for success both in China and abroad for more than 30 years. The first International Baccalaureate (IB) World School in China, Huijia is known for its forward-thinking approach to education, integrating best practices from both Chinese and Western educational philosophies.
From Classroom to Published Paper
One of the greatest benefits of using Britannica is how well it supports our students in becoming self-directed learners.
Self-led learning is a core principle of the International Baccalaureate (IB) philosophy, and at Huijia, students are actively encouraged to develop these independent learning skills. Since its adoption in 2018, Britannica School has been a key tool in helping Huijia students across all grade levels cultivate their research abilities and take ownership of their learning.
“One of the greatest benefits of using Britannica is how well it supports our students in becoming self-directed learners,” says Epifania Paclibar, Head Librarian at Huijia. “Students can use the platform to explore topics independently, in their own time and on their own terms.”
One student, in particular, excelled through their use of Britannica School, using it to help inform a research paper titled A History in Architecture – The Medieval Mediterranean: Confluence of Cultures, which was recently published by the highly regarded Pioneer Academics.
“It was inspiring to see the outcome of this research project, which the student took on entirely through his own initiative” says Epifania. “It clearly demonstrates the research and independent learning skills we’ve worked hard to develop in our students: from knowing how to select good academic resources – like Britannica – to effectively applying them in an academic paper.”
Empowering Bilingual Students with Britannica
With Huijia’s predominantly bilingual student body, Britannica School has proven to be especially beneficial for students learning English as a second language (ESLs). The platform’s differentiated content and reading scaffolds help students engage with material at their own level of English proficiency.
“We have some students who lack confidence reading in English, so being able to choose different reading levels has been very helpful,” says Epifania. “Middle and high school students can access simplified versions if needed, and the read aloud and translation functions are really useful for younger students.”
Supporting the IB Curriculum with Trusted Content
With Britannica we’re confident that the credibility of the materials is non-negotiable.
Students at Huijia are not the only ones to benefit from Britannica School. Teachers have also found the platform useful for lesson planning and classroom instruction. Britannica School offers IB curriculum-aligned content and guides, allowing educators to incorporate Britannica resources into their unit plans.
“Teachers are empowered with multimedia content like videos and articles that they can easily incorporate into their unit plans” says Epifania, “and with Britannica we’re confident that the credibility of the materials is non-negotiable.”
Fostering Lifelong Learning Skills
As Huijia builds on its legacy as the first IB school in China, preparing students for the demands of higher education and their future careers remains a central focus for Epifania and her team of Librarians.
“We work hard to make sure that by the time our students graduate, they know how to do academic research and apply the skills they’ve learned throughout their school years. That way, the transition to university won’t be difficult for them, and these skills will serve them for life.”
About Britannica
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