I have been attending YCIS since 2007, and a lot of great campus development projects have taken place at this wonderful school as I’ve made my way to becoming an International Baccalaureate (IB) student in her final year of high school. Out of all my years of being here, the new Learning Community spaces are definitely the best renovation yet.

The best thing about the new IB Learning Community, in my opinion, is the abundance of working space. I personally need a consistent workspace or work area to properly concentrate on my studies, and the IB Learning Community space offers that for me - I can choose to work in a quiet little corner by myself, or I can work on the bigger tables out in the open during a group project. I also really like the mix of open spaces and classrooms, because different environments may be more well-suited for different types of classes or teaching styles, which will bolster productivity. It’s still a new concept that I’m adapting to, but I am very much enjoying the convenience that results from the flexibility of the Learning Community spaces. 

Another great thing about the Learning Community spaces is the new ‘MaxHub’ panels which are positioned throughout. These are basically smartboards, but better. The big screens have high resolution, it’s easy to annotate on them or to clear the screen without the mess of a traditional whiteboard, and the best thing is that simple Bluetooth pairing and Airplay gets rid of any fuss with wires and plugs. Speaking as an IB History student with lots of presentations to do, MaxHubs are a really big help.

The new furniture and the whole layout of the Learning Community spaces creates a more open and relaxed environment, which I really like, because even though it’s a workspace, it reminds us that it can also be a place to rest if we need to take a break and that it’s okay to take a breather before continuing forward. 

At YCIS, there’s a heavy emphasis on ‘community’, and this shared space allows us to create a cohesive, friendly IB community by facilitating communication between the Year 12 and Year 13 students. We are in the same boat, after all, and I’m glad that the IB Learning Community space provides us with a place to get to know each other and to be able to support each other if needed.

It is sad that I’ll only be able to enjoy the IB Learning Community space for a year, but I am very happy to know that future YCIS IB students will be able to work hard and study well in such a beautiful learning space.

By Oi In, Year 13, YCIS Pudong Secondary