IBDP CAS

CAS has many purposes. The IB Diploma Programme is academically challenging. However, students who can do nothing but study are not that interesting to universities or employers. Nor will they change the world! CAS is one of the main reasons that IB Diploma Programme students are so valued.

CAS is your chance to really apply the IB learner profile and your academic knowledge to real-world learning experiences.

CAS should add fun and a different dimension to your schedule than studying! You have complete freedom about what you choose to do although your CAS programme should be a combination of lots of different experiences including:

• Things you already do now

• New experiences

• Projects that are creative

• Service that helps others

• Activities that keep you active and healthy

During your IB Diploma Programme you will undertake a variety of CAS experiences and at least one CAS project.

You undertake CAS experiences continuously for at least 18 months of your IB Diploma Programme.

There may be some occasions when you are undertaking just one CAS experience; there may be other times when you are undertaking several simultaneously. Deciding what to do and when is part of how you plan, organise and balance your own journey through the IB Diploma Programme.

One great advantage of CAS is that it encourages you to take a break from studying and do something different with your time.

As an IB learner is that you must create balance in your life. There are times you need to study, but sometimes a break from studying will help you to get a little perspective, motivate you, or make you more efficient.

During the time that you are undertaking your CAS experiences and CAS project, you will complete a CAS portfolio. This includes evidence to show what experiences you have undertaken and also reflections on what you achieved (or not).

During the two years of the programme you should expect to have three CAS interviews with your CAS advisor (Tutors)

When you have completed your programme, this will be evidenced through your portfolio and reflections, which demonstrate that you have met all of the learning outcomes for CAS.

CAS is not academic work and so it is assessed completely differently to the other components of the IB Diploma Programme. There are no points for CAS but without meeting the requirements you do not earn an IB diploma.

There are seven learning outcomes that you need to show you have met during your CAS programme. These seven learning outcomes (LOs) are:

1. Identify own strengths and develop areas for growth

Students 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.

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.

3. Demonstrate how to initiate and plan a CAS experience

Students 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.

4. Show commitment to and perseverance in CAS experiences

Students demonstrate regular involvement and active engagement in CAS activities, and accept a share of the responsibility for dealing with problems that arise in the course of activities.

5. Demonstrate and recognize the benefits of working collaboratively

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, activity and service, is required.

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. (for example, environmental concerns, caring for the elderly).

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. Ethical decisions arise in almost any CAS activity (for example, on the sports field, in musical composition, in relationships with others involved in service activities).

Evidence and reflections in your CAS portfolio are one way you can demonstrate that you have met the learning outcomes. You can also show that you have achieved them in the interviews with your CAS Advisor (Tutors)

Your CAS coordinator decides if you have met the conditions of CAS.

First term - Getting started

Start undertaking CAS experiences within your school and community. Plan and initiate at least one CAS project using the CAS stages framework. Collect evidence and undertake meaningful reflection.

Meet with your CAS advisor or coordinator to consider the balance of activities you have chosen and ask any questions you might have about CAS.

Second and third term - Review and adapt

Review your balance in terms of studying commitments, academic progress and CAS experiences. Consider whether your experiences are providing you with the opportunity to work on all the learning outcomes and cover the three strands of creativity, activity and service.

If you have any gaps, make a plan to adapt your programme by adjusting your current experiences or becoming involved with new experiences.

Summer holiday - Reflect

Use this time to make sure you are all up to date with your portfolio of evidence and reflections. Reflect on your experiences so far. Ask yourself the following questions:

• Do you want to continue with all your activities from last academic year? Perhaps you would like to take on a different role, or stop an activity altogether and start something different.

• Can you undertake some experiences over the holiday that balances your portfolio better?

• Short of Creativity? Design and make a mural.

• Short of Activity? Plan and go for a hike with your friend.

• Short of Service? Undertake a micro service-project.

Fourth term - Finding balance

By now you should have met all of the CAS learning outcomes at least once. This is a busy time for Diploma Programme students, so consider how you are managing university applications and academic commitments alongside CAS. Are you getting everything you can or want out of your CAS experiences? Is there anything you want or need to change about your CAS programme?

Fifth term - Final steps

Complete all your evidence and reflections ahead of your Exit Interview with your CAS advisor (Tutor)

You should now have completed CAS and will be able to concentrate on your exams. By all means, carry on with your experiences if you enjoy them and are able. Many students continue with experiences and projects long after they complete the requirements or even the Diploma Programme.

Almost anything that you undertake could be considered a CAS experience. It is up to your CAS coordinator to decide if an experience is appropriate or not.

The guidelines for what does make a CAS experience are:

• It must be one, or more, of creativity, activity or service.

• You should be interested in it and expect to enjoy it.

• It should provide an opportunity for growth and allow you to develop the IB learner profile.

• You would be able to address a CAS learning outcome.

However, there are several things a CAS experience can not be. These include:

• It can not be paid work. For example, if you get paid to be a lifeguard, then it is not CAS.

• It can not be part of your official IB Diploma Programme study. For example, if you are undertaking Dance as a Group 6 subject, a performance you are using for the IA is not CAS. Likewise, if you are involved in Model United Nations (MUN) as part of your Global Politics IA, then it does not count.

Of course, if a dance performance or MUN is not part of your IB Diploma Programme assessment, then it can count as CAS. You may also come across something in class which gives you a great idea to develop a CAS experience or project. For example, you might learn about pollution and undertake water testing in Biology, and this may motivate you to start a clean up project at your local beach, river or stream.

The CAS stages are a tool to help you develop your experiences and you should use them to guide the planning and organisation of your CAS, especially your project.

In your CAS project, you will work with others, towards a stated goal, in one or more of creativity, activity and service.

You must undertake at least one CAS project.

Some examples of CAS projects are listed below.

• A group plans, designs and creates a mural or wall display (creativity)

• Organise and participate in a sports team over time, including training sessions and matches against other teams (activity)

• Plan and undertake an unsupported expedition (activity)

• Set up and conduct tutoring for people in need (service)

• Choreograph a routine for their band or cheerleading squad (creativity and activity)

• Plan, set up and run a not-for-profit business (creativity and service)

• Plan and participate in the planting and maintenance of a garden with members of the local community. (service and activity)

• Identify that children at a local school need backpacks, and then design and make the backpacks out of recycled materials. (service and creativity)

• Rehearse and perform a dance production for a community retirement home. (creativity, activity, and service)

All CAS projects should have a defined goal. Individually, you should identify one or more learning outcomes you intend to meet to further guide your role and responsibilities in the CAS project. These could change as you complete the project.

Your CAS project should last a minimum of one month from planning to completion and you should follow the CAS stages.

Reflection is the process by which you turn an experience into learning.

Reflection helps you to see what you have achieved.

Reflection makes links between your experiences and the future.

Reflection gives you feedback and helps you to generate your own questions.

Reflection should help you to gain a better understanding of yourself, and of others.

Reflection is a required part of the programme but it shouldn’t be too arduous! You can reflect in any way which suits you.

If you like writing then record your thoughts in a journal.

If you love taking photographs, then take and upload photos - but try to also add a comment.

If you are into vlogging, then create, edit and upload a video.

Perhaps you are a good talker, then record an audio reflection.

If you do some other style of offline reflection, just make a note about it, photograph ? it or digitally scan it to add to your portfolio.

The focus of your reflection should be affective. Try to move beyond just giving a commentary of what your experiences and actions were, and talk about how you felt and how the experience will change you in the future.

A useful structure to follow might be:

• Describe what happened - retell your memorable moments, identify what was important or influential, what went well or was difficult, obstacles and successes.

• Express feelings - how do you feel about your experiences?

• Generate ideas - re-examine the choices you made and the actions you took.

• Ask questions - what questions do you have about people, processes or issues as a result of your experiences

You could also reflect on which of the learning outcomes you think you are achieving, and why.

Reflection is very personal but it doesn’t have to be totally individual. You could undertake some group reflection exercises or meet with a peer or an adult in order to reflect.

An example of a group reflection could be a volleyball team meeting to review their performance in a tournament. With a whiteboard, they discuss and record what went well, what didn’t, and why? They then brainstorm the things they need to improve upon and come up with a plan for their next few training sessions. One person photographs the whiteboard and shares the picture for all to upload as evidence. Another talks over training plans with the coach and adapts them to include the teams' findings. This is good use of the CAS stages.

Interview One

This interview is to check that you have started your CAS experiences, you are reflecting/evidencing and you understand the programme.

You have a lot of choice in your CAS programme, but with that comes a lot of responsibility to actually do something!

Interview Two

Normally held towards the end of Year 12.

This interview helps reflection and checks progress towards meeting all of the requirements and learning outcomes.

Again, you have both freedom and responsibility. You are responsible for meeting the requirements of CAS; your CAS advisor is there to guide and support you through the process.

Interview Three

This happens towards the end of the programme. This is a chance to think back on what you have achieved and to check that you have finished. It should almost be a chance to celebrate a job well done.

If everything has gone well this is a real celebration! If you have not completed the requirements then your CAS coordinator may give you very specific things you need to do now if you want to gain your diploma.

Although there is an expectation of three formal CAS interviews if you have any questions or issues with your CAS experiences, programme or project you should seek help from your CAS coordinator.

One of the rules of CAS is you can't 'double-dip' and use anything that is part of your academic programme also for CAS.

However, you can be inspired by something you do in class that makes you want to go further and make a change in the world or to apply that knowledge for real.

If you are passionate about an academic subject and want to study it further, say at university, completing a CAS project or experience connected to it will prove this.