Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) is at the heart of the Diploma programme. It is one of the three essential elements of every student’s Diploma experience. It involves students in a range of activities alongside their academic studies.
CAS provides the main opportunity to develop many of the attributes described in the IB learner profile.The CAS Programme aims to develop students who are:
- reflective thinkers-to understand their own strengths and limitations, identify goals and devise strategies for personal growth
- willing to accept new challenges and new roles
- be aware of themselves as members of communities with responsibilities towards each other and the environment
- be active participants in sustained, collaborative projects
- balanced – to enjoy and find significance in a range of activities involving intellectual, physical, creative and emotional experiences.
The three strands of CAS which are often interwoven with particular activities are characterized as follows:
Three areas: Creativity - Activity- Service
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 a real need.
In CAS, there are seven learning outcomes:
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LO 1 |
Identify own strengths and develop areas for growth |
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Descriptor: |
Students are able to see themselves as individuals with various abilities and skills, of which some are more developed than others. |
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LO 2 |
Demonstrate that challenges have been undertaken, developing new skills in the process |
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Descriptor: |
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. |
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LO 3 |
Demonstrate how to initiate and plan a CAS experience |
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Descriptor: |
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. |
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LO 4 |
Show commitment to and perseverance in CAS experiences |
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Descriptor: |
Students demonstrate regular involvement and active engagement in CAS. |
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LO 5 |
Demonstrate the skills and recognize the benefits of working collaboratively |
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Descriptor: |
Students are able to identify, demonstrate and critically discuss the benefits and challenges of collaboration gained through CAS experiences. |
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LO 6 |
Demonstrate engagement with issues of global significance |
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Descriptor: |
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. |
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LO 7 |
Recognize and consider the ethics of choices and actions |
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Descriptor: |
Students show awareness of the consequences of choices and actions in planning and carrying out CAS experiences. |
The CAS Programme provides students the opportunity to further enhance and build upon their ATL Skills. CAS emphasizes the social and collaborative skills by encouraging students to take on a variety of roles and to engage and help others throughout the experiential learning process. However, the key to success in CAS is the exercise and practice of self-management skills. Throughout the CAS Stages, students must implement their organizational and time-management skills, which are needed for preparing and taking action in quality experiences. Reflection at each interval of the stages encourages students to build their affective skills and self-awareness by demonstrating their mindfulness and perseverance by participating in the CAS programme, thus making the experiences meaningful and lifelong.
ASSESSMENT
Successful completion of CAS Portfolio is required to receive an IB Diploma and students are expected to reflect on their experiences and provide evidence that they have achieved the eight learning outcomes during an 18month period. There is no hour counting. Students are required to participate in three activities per area , as well as to participate in a collaborative project of significant duration combining two or more of the components of CAS and addressing most of the learning outcomes.
