CAS booklet 2015-17

Creativity, Action, Service

St Andrew’s College CAS Handbook 2015-17

St Andrew’s College CAS Handbook 2015-17

1. IB Mission Statement The International Baccalaureate Organization aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.

To this end the IBO works with schools, governments and international organizations to develop challenging programmes of international education and rigorous assessment. These programmes encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right.

IB learner profile 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 and more peaceful world. IB learners strive to be: Inquirers… They develop their natural curiosity. They acquire the skills necessary to conduct inquiry and research and show independence in learning. They actively enjoy learning and this love of learning will be sustained throughout their lives.

Knowledgeable… They explore concepts, ideas and issues that have local and global significance. In so doing, they acquire in-depth knowledge and develop understanding across a broad and balanced range of disciplines.

Thinkers… They exercise initiative in applying thinking skills critically and creatively to recognize and approach complex problems, and make reasoned, ethical decisions.

Communicators… They understand and express ideas and information confidently and creatively in more than one language and in a variety of modes of communication. They work effectively and willingly in collaboration with others.

Principled… They act with integrity and honesty, with a strong sense of fairness, justice and respect for the dignity of the individual, groups and 2|Page

St Andrew’s College CAS Handbook 2015-17

communities. They take responsibility for their own actions and the consequences that accompany them.

Open-minded… They understand and appreciate their own cultures and personal histories, and are open to the perspectives, values and traditions of other individuals and communities. They are accustomed to seeking and evaluating a range of points of view, and are willing to grow from the experience.

Caring… They show empathy, compassion and respect towards the needs and feelings of others. They have a personal commitment to service, and act to make a positive difference to the lives of others and to the environment.

Risk-takers… They approach unfamiliar situations and uncertainty with courage and forethought, and have the independence of spirit to explore new roles, ideas and strategies. They are brave and articulate in defending their beliefs.

Balanced… They understand the importance of intellectual, physical and emotional balance to achieve personal well-being for themselves and others.

Reflective… They give thoughtful consideration to their own learning and experience. They are able to assess and understand their strengths and limitations in order to support their learning and personal development.

3|Page

St Andrew’s College CAS Handbook 2015-17

2. Why CAS? The International Baccalaureate aims to develop internationally minded people who become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right.

CAS is at the heart of the Diploma Programme. You will be involved in a range of activities beyond the academic classroom. CAS enables you to enhance your personal and interpersonal development through experiential learning. It provides a counterbalance to the academic pressures of the rest of the Diploma Programme. It provides a personal journey of self-discovery while being challenging and enjoyable. a. Aims CAS allows you to: 

enjoy and find significance in a range of CAS experiences



purposefully reflect upon your experiences



identify goals, develop strategies and determine further actions for personal growth



explore new possibilities, embrace new challenges and adapt to new roles



actively participate in planned, sustained, and collaborative CAS projects



understand you are a member of a local and global community with responsibilities towards others and the environment.

b. The nature of creativity, action, service ...if you believe in something, you must not just think or talk or write, but must act. Peterson (2003) Creativity, action, service (CAS) is at the heart of the Diploma Programme.

The three strands of CAS, which are often interwoven with particular activities, are characterized as follows:  Creativity: arts, and other experiences that involve creative 4|Page

St Andrew’s College CAS Handbook 2015-17

thinking.  Activity: physical exertion contributing to a healthy lifestyle, complementing academic work elsewhere in the Diploma Programme.  Service: an unpaid and voluntary exchange that has a learning benefit for the student. The rights, dignity and autonomy of all those involved are respected. c. CAS should involve…  Real, purposeful activities, with significant outcomes.  A personal challenge – tasks must extend you and be achievable in scope  Thoughtful consideration, such as planning, reviewing progress, reporting  Reflection on outcomes and personal learning.

3. The CAS Experience CAS experience can be a single event or may be an extended series of events.

A CAS project is a collaborative series of sequential CAS experiences lasting at least one month

5|Page

St Andrew’s College CAS Handbook 2015-17

Your CAS programme will have a combination of planned/unplanned singular and ongoing experiences. All are valuable and may lead to your personal development. However, a meaningful CAS programme must be more than unplanned/singular experiences. A series of planned CAS experiences are recommended for a more engaging CAS programme.

CAS experiences may incorporate one or more of the CAS strands. For example: 

Going for a mountain hike could be a singular experience within the “Activity” strand.



A student plans a number of visits to a nursing home resulting in a series of CAS experiences within the “Service” strand.



A group of students plan and stage a basketball tournament for the local community, resulting in a series of CAS experiences involving the strands of “Activity” and “Service”.

a. A CAS experience must: 

fit within one or more of the CAS strands



be based on a personal interest, skill, talent or opportunity for growth



provide opportunities to develop the attributes of the IB learner profile



not be used or included in the student’s Diploma course requirements

Also… 

Will the experience be enjoyable?



Does the experience allow for development of personal interests, skills and/or talents?



What new possibilities or challenges could the experience provide?



What might be the possible consequences of your CAS experience for you, others and the environment?

6|Page

St Andrew’s College CAS Handbook 2015-17 

Which CAS learning outcomes may be addressed?

While it is not necessary for each CAS experience to address a CAS learning outcome, upon completion of the CAS programme, CAS you are required to present evidence demonstrating achievement of all CAS learning outcomes. b. Learning Outcomes As a result of your CAS experience as a whole, including your reflections, there should be evidence that you have:  Identify own strengths and develop areas for growth Descriptor Students are able to see themselves as individuals with various abilities and skills, of which some are more developed than others.  Demonstrate that challenges have been undertaken, developing new skills in the process 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.  Demonstrate how to initiate and plan a CAS experience 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.  Show commitment to and perseverance in CAS experiences Descriptor Students demonstrate regular involvement and active engagement in CAS.  Demonstrate the skills and recognize the benefits of working collaboratively 7|Page

St Andrew’s College CAS Handbook 2015-17

Descriptor Students are able to identify, demonstrate and critically discuss the benefits and challenges of collaboration gained through CAS experiences.  Demonstrate engagement with issues of global significance 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.  Recognize and consider the ethics of choices and actions Descriptor Students show awareness of the consequences of choices and actions in planning and carrying out CAS experiences.

All seven outcomes must be present for you to complete the CAS requirement. Some may be demonstrated many times, in a variety of activities, but completion requires that you have evidence for each outcome.

This focus on learning outcomes emphasizes that it is the quality of a CAS activity (its contribution to your development) that is most important.

The guideline for the minimum amount of CAS activity is approximately the equivalent of half a day per school week (three to four hours per week), with a reasonable balance between creativity, action and service.

It is the EXPERIENCE and REFLECTION upon the experience that counts.

CAS is NOT a logging of hours exercise.

8|Page

St Andrew’s College CAS Handbook 2015-17

c. CAS stages This is to help you with your planning of CAS experiences‌

The five CAS stages are as follows.

1. Investigation: You identify your interests, skills and talents to be used in considering opportunities for CAS experiences, as well as areas for personal growth and development. You investigate what you want to do and determine the purpose for your CAS experience. In the case of service, you identify a need they want to address.

2. Preparation: You clarify roles and responsibilities, develop a plan of actions to be taken, identify specified resources and timelines, and acquire any skills as needed to engage in the CAS experience.

3. Action: You implement their idea or plan. This often requires decision-making and problem-solving. You may work individually, with partners, or in groups.

4. Reflection: You describe what happened, express feelings, generate ideas, and raise questions. Reflection can occur at any time during CAS to further understanding, to assist with revising plans, to learn from the experience, and to make explicit 9|Page

St Andrew’s College CAS Handbook 2015-17

connections between their growth, accomplishments, and the learning outcomes for personal awareness. Reflection may lead to new action.

5. Demonstration: You make explicit what and how you 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 response from others. d. Responsibilities of the Student The CAS programme is YOUR responsibility. You should “OWN” your personal CAS programme. You will receive guidance. However, the CAS experience is personal and only you can build a program that meets your needs. There are requirements that must be met.

Key to a student’s CAS programme is personal engagement, choice and enjoyment of CAS experiences. Throughout the Diploma Programme students undertake a variety of CAS experiences, ideally on a weekly basis, for a minimum of 18 months. They must also undertake at least one CAS project with a minimum duration of one month. Students reflect on CAS experiences at significant moments throughout CAS and maintain a CAS portfolio. Using evidence from their CAS portfolio, students will demonstrate achievement of the seven CAS learning outcomes to the CAS coordinator’s satisfaction. e. CAS students are expected to: 

approach CAS with a proactive attitude



develop a clear understanding of CAS expectations and the purpose of CAS



explore personal values, attitudes and attributes with reference to the IB learner profile and the IB mission statement



determine personal goals



discuss plans for CAS experiences with the CAS coordinator and/or CAS adviser 10 | P a g e

St Andrew’s College CAS Handbook 2015-17 

understand and apply the CAS stages where appropriate



take part in a variety of experiences, some of which are selfinitiated, and at least one CAS project



become more aware of personal interests, skills and talents and observe how these evolve throughout the CAS programme



maintain a CAS portfolio and keep records of CAS experiences including evidence of achievement of the seven CAS learning outcomes



understand the reflection process and opportunities to reflect on CAS experiences



demonstrate accomplishments within their CAS programme



communicate with the CAS coordinator/adviser and/or CAS supervisor in formal and informal meetings



ensure a suitable balance between creativity, activity and service in their CAS programme



behave appropriately and ethically in their choices and behaviours.

identify

suitable

IS it CAS? It is CAS if it is a new experience for you and permits YOUR growth in one or more of the learning outcomes. Exceptions are: just volunteering, activities for pay, political activities which are divisive, a course for a grade, a religious activity involving only your own religion, a family responsibility, other activities deemed inappropriate by the CAS Team. A CAS activity should be approved by your CAS advisor before you begin the activity.

• Is the activity safe and secure, given the local circumstances?

• Is it an activity that will cause, or worsen, social divisions?

• Where are the learning opportunities for the students involved?

Evaluation 11 | P a g e

St Andrew’s College CAS Handbook 2015-17

The most important aspect of evaluation is your self-evaluation. You will be provided feedback on your progress by your CAS supervisor and offered advice on your activities. The school makes the final decision on your completion of CAS and reports the completion to the IB regional office.

You MUST meet the minimum requirements in order to be eligible to receive the IB diploma.

Reflection Reflection is a skill that must be developed. Just as the kind of reflection that a critic applies to a work of art or literature, it is something that develops with time and experience. It requires guidance and practice.

A photo, video, or link to a website is fine, but rarely is this sufficient on it’s own to explain how you met the learning outcomes you stated or the 5 big things IB is looking for from your evidence: •

• • • •

What happened?

Why it happened?

How it happened?

What was its value?

What did you learn from it?

If you post a picture or video you will most likely need to provide some written commentary as well.

So…remember: your evidence/reflections need to show: • How you met the learning outcomes you stated you’d meet through the activity • The 5 big things IB is looking for. The difficulty lies in the complexity of the possible answers. Writing is only one possible way to reflect. You may also choose to make scrapbooks, photo essays, or web logs. You may use journals or other varied portfolios.

You will use ManageBac. 12 | P a g e

St Andrew’s College CAS Handbook 2015-17

Developing reflection Moving beyond the five questions above, experiential learners might consider, where appropriate, for you and others, and for each stage of an activity (before, during and after):             

How did I feel?

What did I perceive?

What did I think about the activity?

What did the activity mean to me?

What was the value of the activity?

What did I learn from the activity and how might this learning be applied more widely?

You may want to consider the ethical aspects by reflecting on: What is service?

Why is service to the family not considered as a service?

Am I trying to help or empower people with a service?

What obligation do I have to the person who is being served?

How do I finish a service relationship?

What do I do if the person does not want my service?

Recording and reporting You must document your CAS activities, noting in particular reflections upon the experiences. This documentation may take many forms. Its extent should match the significance and depth of your involvement of the particular activity. You and your CAS Advisor will decide how to document your program.

A Final Word The beauty of the CAS programme is that it is an individual experience designed by you, for you. Yes, CAS is about reaching out to your local, national and global community, but it is also about reflecting upon your activities and actions. It’s about becoming an active member of life and learning who you are. You should enjoy the journey! We will be here to advise and guide you through the adventure.

13 | P a g e