CAS Handbook
The Nature of CAS
CAS is at the heart of the Diploma Programme.
CAS is organized around the three strands of creativity, activity and service defined as follows.
Creativity
Exploring and extending ideas leading to an original or interpretive product or performance.
Activity
Physical exertion contributing to a healthy lifestyle.
Service
Collaborative and reciprocal engagement with the community in response to an authentic need.
As a shining beacon of our values, CAS enables students to demonstrate attributes of the IB learner profile in real and practical ways, to grow as unique individuals and to recognize their role in relation to others. Students develop skills, attitudes and dispositions through a variety of individual and group experiences that provide students with opportunities to explore their interests and express their passions, personalities and perspectives. CAS complements a challenging academic programme in a holistic way, providing opportunities for self-determination, collaboration, accomplishment and enjoyment.
CAS enables students to enhance their personal and interpersonal development. A meaningful CAS programme is a journey of discovery of self and others. For many, CAS is profound and life-changing. Each individual student has a different starting point and different needs and goals. A CAS programme is, therefore, individualized according to student interests, skills, values and background.
The school and students must give CAS as much importance as any other element of the Diploma Programme and ensure sufficient time is allocated for engagement in the CAS programme. The CAS stages offer a helpful and supportive framework and continuum of process for CAS students.
Successful completion of CAS is a requirement for the award of the IB Diploma. While not formally assessed, students reflect on their CAS experiences and provide evidence in their CAS portfolios of achieving the seven learning outcomes.
The CAS programme formally begins at the start of the Diploma Programme and continues regularly, ideally on a weekly basis, for at least 18 months with a reasonable balance between creativity, activity, and service.
The Aim of CAS
The CAS programme aims to develop students who:
enjoy and find significance in a range of CAS experiences
purposefully reflect upon their experiences
identify goals, develop strategies and determine further actions for personal growth
explore new possibilities, embrace new challenges and adapt to new roles
actively participate in planned, sustained, and collaborative CAS projects
understand they are members of local and global communities with responsibilities towards each
other and the environment.
CAS portfolio
All CAS students are expected to maintain and complete a CAS portfolio as evidence of their engagement with CAS. The CAS portfolio is a collection of evidence that showcases CAS experiences and for student reflections; it is not formally assessed.
CAS learning outcomes
Completion of CAS is based on student achievement of the seven CAS learning outcomes. Through their CAS portfolio, students provide the school with evidence demonstrating the achievement of each learning outcome.
CAS experiences
Students engage in CAS experiences involving one or more of the three CAS strands. A CAS experience can be a single event or maybe an extended series of events.
CAS project
Further, students undertake a CAS project of at least one month’s duration that challenges students to show initiative, demonstrate perseverance, and develop skills such as collaboration, problem-solving, and decision-making. The CAS project can address any single strand of CAS, or combine two or all three strands.
CAS stages
Students use the CAS stages (investigation, preparation, action, reflection and demonstration) as a framework for CAS experiences and the CAS project.
Interviews
There are three formal documented interviews students must have with their CAS coordinator/adviser. The first interview is at the beginning of the CAS programme, the second at the end of the first year, and the third interview is at the end of the CAS programme.
Reflection
CAS emphasizes reflection which is central to building a deep and rich experience in CAS. Reflection informs students’ learning and growth by allowing students to explore ideas, skills, strengths, limitations and areas for further development and consider how they may use prior learning in new contexts.
Learning Outcomes
Student completion of CAS is based on the achievement of the seven CAS learning outcomes realized through the student’s commitment to his or her CAS programme over a period of 18 months. These learning outcomes articulate what a CAS student is able to do at some point during his or her CAS programme. Through meaningful and purposeful CAS experiences, students develop the necessary skills, attributes and understandings to achieve the seven CAS learning outcomes.
Some learning outcomes may be achieved many times, while others may be achieved less frequently. Not all CAS experiences lead to a CAS learning outcome. Students provide the school with evidence in their CAS portfolio of having achieved each learning outcome at least once through their CAS programme. The CAS coordinator must reach an agreement with the student as to what evidence is necessary to demonstrate the achievement of each CAS learning outcome. Commonly, the evidence of achieving the seven CAS learning outcomes is found in students’ reflections.
In CAS, there are seven learning outcomes.
Learning outcome 1 (LO 1) - Identify own strengths and develop areas for growth.
Students are able to see themselves as individuals with various abilities and skills, of which some are more developed than others.
Learning outcome 2 (LO 2) - Demonstrate that challenges have been undertaken, developing new skills in the process.
A new challenge may be an unfamiliar experience or an extension of an existing one. The newly acquired or developed skills may be shown through experiences that the student has not previously undertaken or through increased expertise in an established area.
Learning outcome 3 (LO 3) - Demonstrate how to initiate and plan a CAS experience.
Students can articulate the stages from conceiving an idea to executing a plan for a CAS experience or series of CAS experiences. This may be accomplished in collaboration with other participants. Students may show their knowledge and awareness by building on a previous experience, or by launching a new idea or process.
Learning outcome 4 (LO 4) - Show commitment to and perseverance in CAS experiences.
Students demonstrate regular involvement and active engagement in CAS.
Learning outcome 5 (LO 5) - Demonstrate the skills and recognize the benefits of working collaboratively.
Students are able to identify, demonstrate and critically discuss the benefits and challenges of collaboration gained through CAS experiences.
Learning outcome 6 (LO 6) - Demonstrate engagement with issues of global significance.
Students are able to identify and demonstrate their understanding of global issues, make responsible decisions, and take appropriate action in response to the issue either locally, nationally or internationally.
Learning outcome 7 (LO 7) - Recognize and consider the ethics of choices and actions.
Students show awareness of the consequences of choices and actions in planning and carrying out CAS experiences.
Responsibilities of the CAS Students
Key to a student’s CAS programme is personal engagement, choice and enjoyment of CAS experiences. Throughout the Diploma Programme students undertake a variety of CAS experiences, ideally on a weekly basis, for a minimum of 18 months. They must also undertake at least one CAS project with a minimum duration of one month. Students reflect on CAS experiences at significant moments throughout CAS and maintain a CAS portfolio. Using evidence from their CAS portfolio, students will demonstrate achievement of the seven CAS learning outcomes to the CAS coordinator’s satisfaction.
CAS students are expected to:
approach CAS with a proactive attitude
develop a clear understanding of CAS expectations and the purpose of CAS
explore personal values, attitudes and attributes with reference to the IB learner profile and the IB mission statement
determine personal goals
discuss plans for CAS experiences with the CAS coordinator and/or CAS adviser
understand and apply the CAS stages where appropriate
take part in a variety of experiences, some of which are self-initiated, and at least one CAS project
become more aware of personal interests, skills and talents and observe how these evolve throughout the CAS programme
maintain a CAS portfolio and keep records of CAS experiences including evidence of achievement of the seven CAS learning outcomes
understand the reflection process and identify suitable opportunities to reflect on CAS experiences
demonstrate accomplishments within their CAS programme
communicate with the CAS coordinator/adviser and/or CAS supervisor in formal and informal meetings
ensure a suitable balance between creativity, activity and service in their CAS programme
behave appropriately and ethically in their choices and behaviours.
CAS Project
A CAS project is a collaborative, well-considered series of sequential CAS experiences, engaging students in one or more of the CAS strands of creativity, activity, and service. CAS students must be involved in at least one CAS project during their CAS programme.
A CAS project involves collaboration between a group of students or with members of the wider community. Students work as part of a team, with all members being contributors. A CAS project offers students the opportunity to be responsible for, or to initiate, a part of or the entire CAS project. Working collaboratively also provides opportunities for individual students to enhance and integrate their personal interests, skills and talents into the planning and implementation of CAS projects.
All CAS projects should use the CAS stages as a framework for implementation to ensure that all requirements are met.
A CAS project can address any single strand of CAS, or combine two or all three strands. The following examples are provided to help generate further ideas without limiting the scope and direction of a CAS project.
Creativity: A student group plans, designs and creates a mural.
Activity: Students organize and participate in a sports team including training sessions and matches against other teams.
Service: Students set up and conduct tutoring for people in need.
Creativity and activity: Students choreograph a routine for their marching band.
Service and activity: Students plan and participate in the planting and maintenance of a garden with members of the local community.
Service and creativity: Students identify that children at a local school need backpacks and subsequently design and make the backpacks out of recycled materials.
Creativity, activity, and service: Students rehearse and perform a dance production for a community retirement home.
All CAS projects are designed with a defined purpose and goals. Individual students identify one or more learning outcomes to further guide their role and responsibilities in the CAS project. Students will likely identify more outcomes, or modify expected outcomes during the CAS project and/or at its completion.
A minimum of one month is recommended for a CAS project, from planning to completion. CAS projects of longer duration can provide even greater scope and opportunities for all participants and should be encouraged. Students should aim to undertake their CAS project locally and, if possible, engage in more than one CAS project over the duration of their CAS programme.
CAS Portfolio
All CAS students are expected to maintain and complete a CAS portfolio as evidence of their engagement with CAS and achievement of the seven CAS learning outcomes. The CAS portfolio can also reveal how students have developed the attributes of the IB learner profile.
The CAS portfolio is used by students to plan their CAS programme, reflect on their CAS experiences and gather evidence of involvement in CAS; it is not formally assessed. The CAS coordinator/adviser must ensure the students keep their CAS portfolio up-to-date and relevant as it is a summation of their CAS programme. It could also be a valuable addition to a student’s resume for a prospective employer or educational institution.
At AKMIS, we are going to use ManageBac to create and maintain students' CAS portfolio.
ManageBac Operation
ManageBac for CAS.docx