CAS and the IB

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).