CAS Stages

The CAS stages (adapted from Cathryn Berger Kaye’s “The five stages of service learning”, 2010) offer a helpful and supportive framework and continuum of process for CAS students as you consider what you would like to do in CAS, make plans and carry out your ideas.

The CAS stages are applicable to the three strands of creativity, activity, service, and the CAS project.

The CAS stages framework:

• promotes your self-awareness
• enhances your willingness to step outside your comfort zone
• supports different learning styles
• develops your ability to collaborate and communicate
• enables you to experience personal development.

There are two parts to the CAS stages framework: process and summarizing.

• Process: The centre circles and arrows have four key parts: investigation, preparation, action and reflection.
• Summarizing: The outer circle of reflection and demonstration guides you in your experience.

Stage one: Investigation

You should identify:

• your interests
• your skills
• your talents
• your areas for personal growth and development
• the purpose for your CAS experience
• a real personal or community need you want to address
• possible mentors or collaborative partner
• costs (time, money and emotional)

Stage two: Preparation

Once you have decided on a CAS experience, you will need to prepare:

• clarifying roles and responsibilities
• developing a plan of steps to be taken
• identifying specified resources
• determining timelines
• acquiring any skills needed to engage successfully in the CAS experience
• identify venues
• set personal goals
• investigate any guidelines or restrictions that may affect your CAS experience (ethics, legal, school rules etc).

Stage three: Action

Implement your idea or plan. This often requires decision-making and problem-solving. You could work individually, with partners or in groups.

1. Examples of CAS experiences where the action taken is built upon investigation and preparation.
   • Creativity: A student interested in theatre decides to work on a theatrical monologue. For investigation, the student asks the librarian or theatre teacher for suggestions and reads several selections. For preparation, the student gathers needed props and a hat and scarf for a costume.
   • Activity: A student decides to go on a series of six hikes with increased challenge. For investigation the student does research about hikes and determines which would be the best sequence. To prepare, the student gets supplies for each hike including water, snacks, ropes and a map.
   • Service: A student wants to promote reusable water bottles at school. For investigation, the student finds out how many single-use water bottles are sold each week in the cafeteria and does a survey of high school students to see interest in reusable bottles based on a set of environmental facts presented. For preparation, the student initiates a campaign to get pre-orders for bottles that are school colours.
   • CAS project: Students want to combine activity and service by hosting a game day for a group of children. For investigation, the students interview someone from a local school to ensure it would be of benefit to the children. For preparation, the students clarify roles and responsibilities of all involved, gather supplies and prepare an agenda for logistics and experiences.
2. Examples of CAS experiences where the action taken is not built upon investigation and preparation. Examples are provided:
   • Service: A student signs up to go to a school to tutor children at the last minute.
   • Activity: A student suddenly decides to go on a long bike ride.
   • Creativity: A student is travelling and sees a scenario perfect for a photo essay.

Both approaches are equally valid within CAS; however, using the CAS stages usually deepens and strengthens the CAS experience for you.

Stage four: Reflection

In meaningful reflection, you should reflect throughout the CAS experience an 'ah-ha' moment:

• describe what happened
• express feelings
• generate ideas
• raise questions
• further own understanding
• when revising plans
• when you have learnt something from the experience
• to make explicit connections between your growth, accomplishments and the learning outcomes for personal awareness.
• when reflection has lead to new action.

Stage five: Demonstration

You should make it explicit what and how you have learned and what you have accomplished, for example, by sharing your CAS experience through your CAS portfolio or with others in an informal or formal manner. Through demonstration and communication, you solidify your understanding and evoke responses from others.

Consider:

• creating a wall display
• writing a newsletter article
• collate experiences into a blog, website or book to be shared with other students and parents
• presentation in assembly
• talk to a peer in Registration time
• talk to another IB student in the other year group
• make a film of your experiences