Confused as to where to begin? Watch the short video above that ManageBac includes to show you how to enter, log, add CAS experiences. I include a screenshot at right. Head to https://marshallib.managebac.com/ and log into your account to watch the video. If you want to see my own video below, it goes over the same material using examples from your classes.
Additionally, you can click on the very helpful support material that ManageBac offers called the CAS QuickStart Guide.
Schools must choose how they want to have students monitor their hours, their reflections, and the demonstration of their Learning Outcomes. Different schools use different programs or ask that their students incorporate some sort of tracking as part of their CAS experiences. Some students create their own webpages, as Francisco M., GCM Class of 2018, did at a school previous to entering Marshall H.S. Other use a variety of platforms available to them:
Google Classroom
Microsoft One
Blackboard.com
Moodle.com
Squarespace
Part of the coordinators' roles is to help determine what system students and faculty will use to track all student progress, create supervisor reviews, and evaluate DP candidates' work.
Students at Marshall (and many IB schools) use an online tool called ManageBac to propose, record, and reflect on all of their International Baccalaureate CAS (creativity, activity, and service) experiences. I have also included a few short tutorials about how Marshall High School uses ManageBac. At the bottom of this page, you will find a great tips sheet for ManageBac and a few videos about using the site.
The main concept: keep it simple. Follow these tips:
Offer a description of your experience citing the 5 Ws: with whom you are working, what you are doing, where and when you are doing what you are doing, and maybe even why in 3-5 sentences.
Select no more than 2-3 Learning Outcomes for each experience.
Tie specific, measurable, reasonable goals for EACH Learning Outcome as the student below has. See the example in the first image included below.
Focus on your goals and the reflections about your Learning Outcomes, one per written or media-based reflection.
The key to ManageBac is not to over-complicate your entries but to focus on your reflections and your evidence, i.e. pictures, web links, videos, etc. The focus of CAS is to demonstrate that you are dealing with your Learning Outcomes, whether you meet your listed goals or not. You can see that the student below entered a reflection and dealt with three aspects of the experience: the ACTION: (2-5 sentences) what did you do and what was your goal?; her REFLECTION: (5-10 sentences) what effect did this experience have on you and did you reach your goal?; and any OUTCOMES of the experience: (3-5 sentences) how does this experience help you in any other area of your life?
Here is that tip sheet that I mentioned above.
Here are links to a few tutorial videos from my YouTube channel for CAS.
Take risks. Have fun. Let CAS be a counterbalance to your academically rigorous classes. When school meets once again, I spend almost every lunch in E101, the IB office, if you have questions. Until we return to school, email me at whbooz@fcps.edu with questions. I am here to help.