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The CAS programme is one of the three core requirements of the IB DP.
The CAS Programme and the learner profile are closely linked.
It is through CAS that you get a chance to make many of the learner profile connections
CAS is another place for experiential learning.
You don’t study CAS, you do CAS. You have a chance to challenge yourself in a completely different way.
Many IB graduates will tell you that their CAS experiences provided some of the most memorable moments in their IB journey. Why? Because they had a chance to make a difference
- locally, nationally or internationally, and they challenged themselves in new ways.
Group 1: English HL
Group 2:
French B SL or Self Taught Language
Group 4: Biology HL
Group 6: Visual Arts or an elective
Group 5: Mathematics SL
Group 3: History HL
You need to spend approximately 150 hours over two years on their CAS
Hour counting is not encouraged, or required, but you should have a balance
Try to work CAS into your existing activities – you probably do a lot of extra-curricular things already!
You can’t count CAS activities that are already part of your IB programme
Steps need to be taken BEFORE you do any CAS activity – so don’t start an activity before getting your “ducks in a row”
You need to initiate some activities on your own. Others can be initiated by the school
Arts and other experiences that involve creative thinking It is not only about the arts Creativity can be a planning exercise
such as organizing a fund raiser, or a fun run, or a sporting event for underprivileged kids
Physical exertion contributing to a healthy lifestyle, complementing academic work elsewhere in the Diploma Programme Work up a “sweat” Can include trying a new sport, training
for an event, changing your training in an existing sport, etc
An unpaid and voluntary exchange that has a learning benefit to the student. The rights, dignity and autonomy of all those involved are respected Unpaid volunteer hours
You need to consider TWO things before doing ANY CAS activity: FIRST▪ Does your activity meet the FOUR criteria
SECOND▪ Which The Learning Outcomes will you
address
This is the starting point for determining any CAS activity.
If the activity does not meet all four criteria, it cannot be counted as a CAS activity
For student development to occur, CAS should involve: Real, purposeful activities with
significant outcomes Personal challenge – task must extend
the student and be achievable in scope Thoughtful consideration, such as
planning, reviewing progress, reporting Reflection on outcomes and personal
learning
You should try to find/choose activities that have meaning Sometimes a planned activity does not
turn into a purposeful activity even though you plan it that way – it is important to note this in your reflection
An activity should meet at least one of the eight CAS learning outcomes
The key here is extending yourself If you have been playing soccer for 9
years, what can you do to make it a challenge?
You can ask yourself the same question about trumpet playing, or swimming, or anything that you do right now!
Is there something you have always wanted to learn or try? Extending yourself also means
undertaking a new challenge
Achievable in scope is also important You do not want to make plans that are
not possible If you do plan something, but it ends up
being too difficult to achieve, you can reflect on it
This part of CAS is embedded in the process. You are asked to plan your activity
before you do it There is an interview process that takes
place throughout your CAS program You reflect on your CAS experiences as
you do them
Each CAS activity starts with a plan – a purpose and intended learning experience.
Each CAS activity ends with reflection What did I learn? Did I meet my goals? If not, why? Where do I go from here? Can I apply
this elsewhere?
Once you have determined that your proposed CAS activity will meet the four criteria, you have to determine which Learning Outcome(s) you plan to address
CAS requires students to show evidence of eight learning outcomes
You can have evidence of any given learning outcome more than once, but you have to have all eight at least once.
The evidence can be in a variety of forms and we will come to this later
Increased their awareness of their own strengths and areas for growth They are able to see themselves as
individuals with various skills and abilities, some more developed than others, and understand that they can make choices about how they wish to move forward
Undertaken new challenges A new challenge may be an unfamiliar
activity or an extension to an existing one.
Planned an initiated activities Planning and initiation will often be in
collaboration with others. It can be shown in activities that are part of a larger projects, for example, ongoing school activities in the local community, as well as in small student-led activities
Worked collaboratively with others Collaboration can be shown in many
different activities, such as team sports, playing music in a band, or helping in a kindergarten. At least one project, involving collaboration and the integration of at least two of creativity, action and service, is required.
Shown perseverance and commitment in their activities At a minimum, this implies attending
regularly and accepting a share of the responsibility for dealing with problems that arise in the course of activities.
Engaged with issues of global importance Students may be involved in
international projects but there are many global issues that can be acted upon locally or nationally (for example, environmental concerns, caring for the elderly)
Considered the ethical implications of their actions Ethical decisions arise in almost any CAS
activity (for example, on the sports field, in musical competition, in relationships with others involved in service activities). Evidence of thinking about ethical issues can be shown in various ways, including journal entries and conversations with CAS advisers.
Developed new skills As with new challenges, new skills may
be shown in activities that the student has not previously undertaken, or in increased expertise in an established area.
Again, all eight outcomes must be present for a student to complete the CAS requirement. Some may be demonstrated many times, in a variety of activities, but completion requires only that there is some evidence for every outcome. (Creativity,
action, service guide, p5-6)
It is CAS’s contribution to your development that is most important!
Self review at the beginning of your CAS experience and set personal goals for what you want to achieve through your CAS programme
Plan, do and reflect (plan activities, carry them out and reflect on what you have learned)
Undertake at least one interim interview and a final interview with their CAS advisor/coordinator
Take part in a range of activities, including at least one project*, some of which they have initiated themselves * The project involves teamwork that
integrates two or more of creativity, action and service, and is of significant duration.
Keep records of their activities and achievements, including a list of the principal activities undertaken
Show evidence of achievement of the eight CAS learning outcomes
APPLY LEARNING IN NEW
SITUATIONS
Use knowledge gained for new experiences
•Identify goals•Decide how (using previous experience and knowledge)
•Real tasks•Concrete Experiences
•Think about feelings and interactions•Analyze perceptions
•Identify achievements and outstanding issues, personal strengths and challenges•Evaluate actions•Synthesize new understandings
In my role, I will … Make sure that everyone who is involved
with your CAS programme knows their responsibility
Make sure that staff, parents and other students are informed about CAS
Publicize your achievements Make sure that you are ready to handle
the challenges that you will face in your chosen activities
And … Contact outside agencies who are involved with
CAS Consider safety issues involved with CAS
activities Keep records as required by the IB for CAS Help students identify personal and social goals Monitor the range and balance of your activities Help you develop your powers of reflection
through group and individual discussion
And … Support students in any ethical concerns
they might face in their CAS activities Read and respond to your diaries/journals Help you to make connections (CAS
activities to subject activities, local activities to global activities) and to look for general understandings
Report your achievements to the IB
Each activity needs to have a supervisor whose role is Monitoring attendance Providing guidance and support related to
the activity Letting me and/or the administration
know of any problems in your CAS activity Reporting on your performance as
required
The way you demonstrate each learning outcome is up to you. Examples include CAS journals or diaries Blogs, e-mails or other electronic
communication Videos or Photographs Scrapbooking, etc.
I may be required to submit CAS samples, so I will be holding on to your CAS materials until May 31st of your graduating year
Common CAS problems are Not documenting your experiences as
you go Not checking to make sure an activity
can be considered CAS before you start Not doing an activity that is supervised
by someone
Ultimately, you want to reflect on how you are in the beginning, how you are in the middle, and how you have changed or grown in the end.
The CAS learning outcomes mean that you either get it or you don’t, that you’ve learned it or you haven’t.
Ask all the time –WHICH LEARNING OUTCOME DOES THIS ACHIEVE?
Choose one of the following ‘students’ and set up his or her CAS plan Include the activity Address all 8 learning outcomes Indicate the type of reflection Be prepared to justify the activity
according to the four criteria
Joe Shy A student who is a bit of an introvert. He is
not athletic. He spends much of his free time on his computer playing games and programming. He works hard to keep his grades up because he would rather play video games.
Jane Athletic Jane is a super athlete. She plays soccer,
rugby and tennis. She doesn’t have a musical bone in her body, but she does like to go to school dances. Jane is a good student because she needs to keep her marks up to stay on the school teams.
Joe Overachiever Joe does a bit of everything. He is president
of the student council, the KEY club, is vice president of the SADD chapter, plays basketball and takes piano lessons. He is a top grade earner and works hard to keep his marks up.
Jane Typical Jane is a typical high school student. She
doesn’t play organized sports, but does could if she wanted to. She is a good student with average to above average marks. She works part time at a local fast food restaurant (about 15 hours per week).