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Initiative & Planning is one of the seven CAS learning outcomes which are chosen when starting a new CAS experience/project. Initiative & Planning involves practicing your ability to manage your time and actions, as well as to take responsibility for your actions.
Selecting the Initiative & Planning learning outcome for your CAS project/experience will add initiative and planning-related questions to your CAS Questions reflection form on ManageBac that are obligatory to answer.
Examples of Initiative & Planning projects/experiences are those which allow students to expand upon their skill sets, and possibly open the door to developing new skills.
Organizing a fundraising event: A student might take the initiative to organize a fundraising event, such as a bake sale or a charity auction. They would need to plan the event, recruit volunteers, and coordinate all the logistics. Through this project, the student would develop their leadership skills, organization skills, and sense of social responsibility.
Planning a community service project: A student might take the initiative to plan a community service project, such as a park cleanup or a food drive. They would need to identify a need in their community, develop a plan to address that need, and recruit volunteers to help. Through this project, the student would develop their problem-solving skills, collaboration skills, and sense of social responsibility.
Creating an art exhibit: A student might take the initiative to create an art exhibit, showcasing their own artwork or the work of other artists. They would need to select the artwork, plan the layout, and coordinate all the logistics. Through this project, the student would develop their creativity, organization skills, and self-confidence.
Planning a backpacking trip: A student might take the initiative to plan a backpacking trip, either independently or as part of a group. They would need to select a destination, plan the route, and coordinate all the logistics, including transportation, lodging, and food. Through this project, the student would develop their planning skills, leadership skills, and sense of adventure.
Developing a wellness program: A student might take the initiative to develop a wellness program, promoting healthy living and stress reduction. They would need to research best practices, develop a program, and promote it to others. Through this project, the student would develop their research skills, leadership skills, and sense of social responsibility.
Overall, an Initiative and Planning project should be designed to help the student develop their planning and organizational skills, take the initiative to solve problems, and become more effective leaders. The project should be challenging enough to stretch the student's abilities, but also provide opportunities for personal growth and development.
The International Baccalaureate CAS programme has several learning outcomes, one of which is "Initiative & Planning." In order to fulfill this learning outcome, students must meet the following requirements:
Identifying a need: Students must identify a need in their local or global community that they are passionate about addressing. This could be anything from environmental sustainability to social justice to mental health.
Planning and organizing: Students must take the initiative to plan and organize a project that addresses the identified need. This could involve developing a detailed plan of action, recruiting volunteers, securing resources, and managing logistics.
Implementing the project: Students must implement their project and carry out the plan they developed. This could involve conducting research, collecting data, designing and creating a product or service, or taking action in the community.
Reflecting on the project: Students must reflect on their project and evaluate its impact. This could involve analyzing data, soliciting feedback, and identifying areas for improvement.
Demonstrating leadership: Students must demonstrate leadership throughout the project, taking responsibility for the success of the initiative, inspiring and motivating others to get involved, and making a positive impact in the community.
Overall, the Initiative and Planning learning outcome requires students to identify a need, take the initiative to plan and organize a project to address that need, and demonstrate leadership throughout the project. The project should be challenging enough to stretch the student's abilities, but also provide opportunities for personal growth and development.
NOTE
This list may not constitute the full list of requirements for this strand as observed by your CAS advisor. This means that your CAS advisor may have specialized requirements which you must achieve in order to use this learning outcome. If you are unsure if your project meets these requirements, consult your advisor.
The Initiative & Planning learning outcome received a difficulty rating of 2.4 according to Diploma Programme students at the International School of Breda placing this learning outcome as the third most difficult to complete outcome or 3rd in difficulty (Out of 7).
The Difficulty Rating
The difficulty rating is a spectrum created to measure how much students struggle with CAS learning outcomes. A group of CAS students is asked to rate each learning outcome on a scale of 1-5 on its difficulty level and the average rating is the difficulty rating. All the averages are then laid out and ranked from highest (Hardest difficulty) to lowest (Easiest difficulty).
Assessment of Difficulty Rating for Initiative & Planning
Difficulty: Medium
Rating: 2.4/5
Ranking: 3rd in difficulty (Out of 7)