Why CAS?
“CAS is the heart of the IB Program put into action, and where knowledge is built from
reflecting on experience.”
-Maria Ines Piaggo
Cannings, Money & Piaggio, 2012
CAS“The aim of all IB programmes is to develop
internationally minded people who, recognizing their common humanity and shared
guardianship of the planet, help to create a better more peaceful world.”
Cannings, Money & Piaggio, 2012
Benefits of CAS
• Creativity leads to a fit mind. • Action leads to a fit body• Creativity and Action enable Service.• Significant service activities develop altruism,
empathy and engagement in real problem-solving.
• CAS serves to emphasize that there is more to life than academics and that there is more to school than academic learning.
Cannings, Money & Piaggio, 2012
CAS Project
• Your CAS experience must consists of at least one PROJECT – and it may be only one project that encompasses your entire CAS experience.
• A project is an event you plan that continues for at least one month in duration and involves planning, on-going reflection and evaluation that is documented in your CAS journal.
• A project may not cover all the CAS learning outcomes but should cover multiple outcomes. Learning outcomes not achieved in your project may come from other CAS experiences documented in your journal.
Cannings, Money & Piaggio, 2012
What defines a CAS project?
• Projects should be organized by a process that consists of the following stages:
– Organization: research, diagnosis, identified needs
– Planning: personal goals, CAS learning outcomes involved; planned activities; project length and frequency; resources
– Ongoing reflection
– Conclusion or results
– Evaluation
Cannings, Money & Piaggio, 2012
“A key point in the CAS service approach is to carry out service activities not only
FOR others but WITH others.”
Cannings, Money & Piaggio, 2012
IB CAS Program Princess Anne High School
Aims of CAS:
Reflective thinkers – you understand your own strengths and limitations, identify goals and devise strategies for personal growth
The willingness to accept new challenges and new roles
Awareness of yourself as a member of communities with responsibilities towards each other and the environment
Being an active participant in sustained, collaborative projects
Balance – you enjoy and find significance in a range of activities involving intellectual, physical, creative and emotional experiences.
CAS should involve:
Real, purposeful activities, with significant outcomes
Personal challenge- tasks must extend you and be achievable in scope
Thoughtful consideration, such as planning, reviewing process, reporting
Reflection on outcomes and personal learning
General instructions:
You must complete and properly document activities over an 18 month period
These hours must take place over two years. You cannot complete all the activities your junior year.
You will be involved in at least one sustained collaborative project.
You must meet with your advisor as outlined in the estimated timeline.
Ideally, your activities should be equally distributed among Creativity, Action, and Service.
If you have any doubt about whether a particular activity will count – or whether it will count for the category you intend to use it for – check with your advisor or the CAS coordinator.
Creativity Action Service
• Creativity:Creativity is interpreted broadly to include a wide range of arts activities as well as the creativity students demonstrate in designing and implementing service projects.
• Action: Action can include not only participation in individual and team sports but also taking part in expeditions and in local or international projects.
• Service: Service encompasses a host of community and social service activities. Some examples include helping children with special needs, visiting hospitals and working with refugees or homeless people.
Learning OutcomesQuality projects reflect on how much they address they address one or more of the eight learning outcomes.
1. Increased their awareness of their own strengths and areas for growth
2. Undertaken new challenges
3. Planned and initiated activities
4. Worked collaboratively with others
5. Shown perseverance and commitment in their actions
6. Engaged with issues of global importance
7. Considered the ethical implications of their actions
8. Developed new skills
Cannings, Money & Piaggio, 2012
Increased their awareness of their own strengths and areas for growth
Students make choices, based on their own skills and abilities, about how they wish to move forward with CAS.
“Self – assessment”
Cannings, Money & Piaggio, 2012
Undertakes new challenges
- A new challenge may be an unfamiliar activity or an extension to an existing one.
- Example:
- Planning a extended bike trip in a new city or country –charting the path / learning bike maintenance
- Taking on a new sport – or planning new training for a team
Cannings, Money & Piaggio, 2012
Planned and initiated activities• This often begins with the collaboration of others
• It can be shown in activities that area part of larger projects, as well as in small student-led activities
– Examples:
• Organize tutoring for local elementary students (world language clubs)
• Obtaining funds to support an existing program (Operation Smile / service clubs / NHS)
Cannings, Money & Piaggio, 2012
Worked collaboratively with others
• Collaboration can be shown in many different activities, such as team sports, playing music in a band, or helping in a kindergarten.
– Example: organizing a sporting event for younger children / coaching a young team
Cannings, Money & Piaggio, 2012
Shown perseverance and commitment in their actions
• Attending regularly and accepting a share of the responsibility for dealing with problems that arise in the course of activities
• Ideally, there should be a long-term project the student is involved in.
– Example: Leadership workshop planning / starting a new service club or improving an existing one / organizing tutoring
Cannings, Money & Piaggio, 2012
Engaged with issues of global importance
• Students may be involved in international projects, but there are many global issues that can be acted upon locally or nationally.
– Example: environmental concerns (SEA Club) / health concerns (Relay for Life) / caring for elderly (helping organize activities at a local nursing home)/ literacy programs in the community
Cannings, Money & Piaggio, 2012
Considered the ethical implications of their actions
• Evidence of thinking about ethical issues can be shown in many ways, including journal entries and conversations with CAS advisors.
• This can be developed in TOK / it is part of their decision making for their CAS journey
Cannings, Money & Piaggio, 2012
Developed new skills
• New skills can be shown in activities the student has not previously undertaken, or by increased expertise in an established area.
– Example: making a video of a project and learning how to edit the video / learning a new manual skill (mixing concrete for Habitat for Humanity)
Cannings, Money & Piaggio, 2012
CAS Individual Student Completion Form
There is evidence that ________________________has:
Learning Outcomes
(A – H)
Achieved Nature/Location of Evidence
(Journal, progress form, weblog, etc.)
A
Increased their awareness of
their own strengths and
areas for growth
B
Undertaken new challenges
C
Planned and initiated
activities
D
Worked collaboratively
with others
E
Shown perseverance and
commitment in their
activities
F
Engaged with issues of
global importance
G
Considered the ethical
applications of their actions
H
Developed new skills
CAS LOG
Activity Learning
Outcome
Achieved
(A – H)
Date Area of
CAS
(C, A, or S)
Estimated
Hours of
Work
Proof of
Completion
(journal, etc.)
*You might not have one for each activity
Getting Started
• Begin with a reflection addressing your own skills and abilities
– What does CAS mean to you?
– How do you plan on using your own skills and talents to complete CAS projects?
– What is your passion? What do you really want to do to improve the world around you?
– How will you accomplish these goals? What is your timeframe? Who do you need to talk to?
FAQ’s
• How many hours must I have in each of the areas (C,A,S)?
– This is individual. Some students are more creative than others, and some are more service oriented. Although you must have at least 2 events where you have been engaged in C, A, or S – the number of hours will vary with each student.
– The minimum hours is 150 over the two years.
• Can all my hours come from one project?
– Yes. As long as you cover all the learning outcomes and the hours needed. This should be a long-term project. IB encourages this!
– Example: Jenna Fredrickson and Operation Smile
• Must I document each event?
– No. You may have hours logged on your log sheet that you have no written evidence for.
– Example: You helped teachers stack books – hours can be included on your log sheet, but you did not accomplish any learning goals.
• How do I document my projects?
– This is individual as well. You may use an electronic journal / hand written journal / blog / etc.
– Again --- as long as you have covered all the learning outcomes - and achieved the required hours – the design is up to you. However, you must turn in a hard copy of your CAS documents to your advisor.
Documentation – for those still not sure…
Project name
Objectives
Why this project?
What do you plan to accomplish?
Learning outcomes addressed?
Target population
Who will this benefit / how?
In collaboration with
Who helped you accomplish your goals?
Who is involved
Target population
Collaborative relationships
Coordinator name and contact
When service takes place
Project time frame
How long will the project last?
How funded
Donations / fund raising?
Detailed description of project
Aims / goals / timeline / learning outcomes addressed and how addressed
Reflection:
What did the target population gain?
Would you do this again?
What learning goals were achieved?
What did you learn?
Future ideas?
Name
Role Why this project?
What do you plan to accomplish?
Learning outcomes addressed?
Lessons Learnt New skills developed
Challenges overcome
Best moment Gains from project
Worst moment Challenges /how to
avoid in future/ how you handled them
Reflection What did the target
population gain?
Would you do this again?
What learning goals were achieved?
What did you learn?
Future ideas?
TOK Connection
• You must connect TOK with CAS within your documentation!
• This can be within one big project or several small projects. (It does not have to be included for each project undertaken)
• You must include in your reflection how your CAS and TOK experiences are linked.
Cannings, Money & Piaggio, 2012
Final Reflection
At the end of your CAS journey you will write a reflection of your CAS accomplishments. This is an overview of what you gained from your entire CAS experience – focused on the learning objectives. *linked to TOK
ManageBac
• Your journaling and evidence for completion of your project and other CAS experiences must be uploaded into ManageBac.
• The two required forms must be uploaded as well:
– CAS Individual Completion Form (Learning outcomes)
– CAS Log (showing hours of CAS completed)
Cannings, Money & Piaggio, 2012
Complete IBO CAS Guide:
• http://www.awty.org/uploaded/academics/IB/CAS_Guide.pdf
Cannings, Money & Piaggio, 2012