Table of Contents
Responsible Use
What if I do not have a device?
Recommended Devices and Software

Kyoto International School (KIS) is committed to developing educational pathways for all students. As part of this commitment, Educational Technology is a key element in developing global citizens who are digitally responsible. 

KIS is offering parents some control with the BYOD policy. The methodology in recommending Apple devices for students includes versatility in the classroom, easy-to-use, long-term durability, in addition to the importance of security and parental controls. Our long-term mission is to become an Apple Distinguished School, who is a center of leadership and educational excellence with a vision for learning with technology.​ Through technology, we contribute to the core values of the school of Inspiring Active Learners, Developing Global Citizens. 

Inspiring Active Learners
Education technology inspires a dynamic, engaging, and creative learning environment where students can pursue their passions while taking active steps in their learning.

Developing Global Citizens
Students understand their responsibility as digital citizens to engage in principled action within a global context.

Responsible Use

As a device is a tool, we believe students should be given the responsibility to decide for themselves (with the guidance of parents and teachers) when a device is required at school to support their learning. Additionally, as some have a preference for Windows, and others for Mac OSX, we believe parents and students should be given the choice as to which device/platform they will use at school.

The purpose of the BYOD Program is to foster the following: 

The skills and knowledge our students will need to be successful throughout school life, as well as to lead satisfying and productive lives. The skills and knowledge our students will need to become digitally literate, lifelong learners. Current research suggests skills such as those listed below will be highly valued in the future:

  1. Collaboration and teamwork skills
  2. Oral and written communication skills
  • Information literacy
    1. “…the set of skills needed to find, retrieve, analyze, and use information.” (source)
  • Technology literacy
    1. “the set of skills needed to use technology tools to access, manage, integrate, evaluate, create and communicate information.” (source)
    2. Becoming a digital citizen, which is defined as a person who develops the skills and knowledge to effectively use the Internet and other digital technology, especially in order to participate responsibly in social and civic activities. Learn more about digital literacy.

What if I do not have a device?

If you do not have a device currently and do not think you will be able to afford one, the school maintains a limited inventory of chromebooks available. 

We encourage parents to consider the variety of needs of their children when deciding which device would be the best. Each device has its own merits, however, we would recommend an Apple macbook or ipad with a keyboard. Parents considering buying a new device for their child may get the most return on their investment from a full-service macbook, as it has the greatest capability.

  • What device should I buy?

If you are going to purchase a device, below are some basic specifications for devices that we feel will work well for this program. The specifications are for devices we expect to have a minimum of a 3 year life span. During that lifespan, you can typically expect significant changes in technology and you may want to consider changing devices sometime toward the 4th year. Remember your child will be carrying this device between home and school, and from class to class so a lighter 10” – 15” (screen sized) device will generally be better than a larger, heavier devices. 

If you have any questions regarding a device you currently own or want additional detail regarding the specifications below, please submit questions through our ICT Contact Form.

  • Apple iPad
  • Apple Macbook
  • Windows
  • Chromebook
  • Do I need to buy any software?

Apple iPad with keyboard: Grade 4 students can start with a full-size (not mini) iPad in combination with a keyboard. iPads are easy to use and work well with many applications used to support learning, like Seesaw. ¥38,000+ (device) & ¥13,000+ (keyboard)

Apple Macbook: Any Macbook, Macbook Air or Macbook Pro model made in the last 3 years should be sufficient for several years for any student. Please be aware that some Macbook Airs have extremely small SSD/HD space and that the student may need to be careful with what they load on the device. ¥110,000+

Windows: Any machine capable of running Windows 10 or later will be sufficient. Typically a Core i5 or Core i7 processor (Stay away from i3 or Celeron branded processors as they are not as capable) and 8GB of RAM will be adequate. ¥80,000+

Chromebook: A touchscreen Chromebook model made in the last 6 months should be sufficient. Please be aware that Chromebooks have limited HD space, memory and processing power. Try to find one with at least 4GB of RAM, a 13 inch + screen and an Intel processor with a min of 1Ghz. ¥46,000+

Do I need to buy any software? KIS students are given access to G Suite Education Suite which provides word processing, spreadsheets, and presentation software, services and apps to support teaching and learning. Many families, at their own expense, purchase antivirus software.

Some courses may require the use of specialized software and teachers will make students aware of these requirements. If possible, the school will try to make school licensed versions available or try to make sure that open source, educational, or other free software is used.