What is CAS?
CAS is an integral part of the IB Diploma. The letters stand for Creativity, Activity and Service. CAS is aimed to develop students who are:
Reflective thinkers—they understand their own strengths and limitations, identify goals and devise strategies for personal growth.
Willing to accept new challenges and new roles.
Aware of themselves as members of communities with responsibilities towards each other and the environment.
Active participants in sustained, collaborative projects.
Balanced—they enjoy and find significance in a range of experiences involving intellectual, physical, creative and emotional experiences.
What is Creativity?
Any experience that involves creative learning and thinking, for example Art, Music or Drama.
What is Activity?
Physical exertion contributing to a healthy lifestyle, complementing academic work elsewhere in the Diploma Program.
What is Service?
An unpaid and voluntary exchange that has a learning benefit for the student.
What is a CAS experience?
A CAS experience is a specific event in which the student engages with one or more of the three CAS Strands. C.A.S. experiences should:
∙ Be real and purposeful, with significant outcomes.
∙ Involve personal challenge that extends the student and is achievable in scope.
∙ Provide opportunities to develop the attributes of the IB Learner Profile.
∙ Satisfy at least 1 of the 3 strands of Creativity, Activity, and Service, and at least 1 of 7 learning outcomes
CAS experiences may NOT contain any element of the following:
Academic credit
Financial or material reward
Family duty
Religious devotion
Work experience
Who is the CAS Coordinator?
Ms. Keating, (desk in the open area of the Learning Commons).
How can I contact the CAS Coordinator?
Ms. Keating is available from 7:00am until 5:00pm most school days. She may also be contacted by email: lizkeating@asmadrid.org.
How do I record my CAS work?
Every CAS "experience" MUST be entered into Managbac, the software program ASM (and most international schools use for recording). Every student has their own personal account. Parents have access to this account as well.
What is the Mangbace site?
https://asmadrid.managebac.com/login
Do I have to fill in the "Aims and Goals" box at the top of my account in Managebac?
YES!
Who are CAS supervisors?
CAS supervisors are teachers or other adults who agree to mentor and support you in your CAS journey.
Do I need one?
Not officially, but a good supervisor enriches your experience by their mentorship and guidance.
How long do I spend doing CAS?
CAS requirements begin in the fall of grade 11 and continue until the ASM deadline of February, grade 12. You must show evidence that you have participated in form CAS the entire 18 months/
Can I start my program in the summer before IB1?
NO..
Can I finish CAS early?
No! You must be participating in some form of CAS experiences up to February of grade 12.
Can school clubs count (MUN, Student Council, Environmental Club) count?
Definitely. But please remember that just sitting in a meeting once a week listening to other people talk really isn’t a good CAS experience.
How many projects must I do?
You must do ONE big project that may be done by yourself or with other students. It may be Creativity, Activity, Service or a combination of any of these. It is important to discuss your idea with Ms. Keating prior to submitting it to your Managebac portfolio.
How do I start the process of starting a project?
Your project must be well planed and presented to the CAS coordinator in the Project Form.
How many hours a week should I spend in CAS?
Hours are not counted in CAS but can be used as a way of ensuring balance in the program. THE IB recommend on average 3-4 hours a week to your different activities. If you play a sport either on or off campus, you do this on a weekly basis, as an example.
Where do I get ideas for a CAS experience?
There are many examples in our handbook as well as online, searching “CAS project ideas.” The possibilities are endless!
How do I collect evidence of my experiences?
Journal, blog, video, etc. The possibilities are endless. All digital evidence must be uploaded to Managebac.
How often should I add to my portfolio?
It is important to add to your portfolio as you do each experience. That way you won’t forget important reflections or documentation.
How many reflections are required?
ASM requires TWO reflections for each of the three strands to be completed during DP1 (your junior year). ASM requires ONE reflection in each of the three strands during DP2 (your senior year.) Reflection guidelines are listed in both Managebac and this Libguide.
How often to I complete my reflections?
Reflections must be thoughtful and entered frequently during the duration of your CAS experiences. Click “Reflections” in your individual Managebac activity to add them.
What happens if I don't complete CAS? Your IB Diploma will be withheld until the requirements have been met. You will have up to one year to finish any outstanding requirements.
What are the CAS learning outcomes?
The most important aspect of CAS, from an individual standpoint, is your ability to demonstrate competence in the following SEVEN (7) Learning Outcomes. Each of your CAS Experiences must connect to at least one of these and you will use your reflections to demonstrate an attempt at considering them.
LO 1: 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.
LO 2: Demonstrate challenges that 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.
LO 3: 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.
LO 4: Show commitment to and perseverance in CAS experiences
Descriptor: Students demonstrate regular involvement and active engagement in CAS.
LO 5: Demonstrate the skills and recognize the benefits of working collaboratively
Descriptor: Students are able to identify, demonstrate and critically discuss the benefits and challenges of collaboration gained through CAS experiences.
LO 6: 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.
LO 7: 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.
How many must I cover in each activity?
There is not a set number you must cover for any given experience, although you are encouraged to consider all of them during your 18 months of CAS experiences. Rough goal: two or three experiences in each of the three categories
How many meetings must I have with the CAS coordinator?
3 formal – one at the beginning of grade 11, one at the end of grade 11 and one as you complete your CAS requirement.
Then every month you must attend a meeting with the CAS coordinator and IB DP Coordinator to obtain up-to-date information, guidance on progress and reflection and any other IB questions.
How will I or my parents know if I am on track for completing CAS?
We will update your parents if there are any issues, throughout the 18 months. We will call a meeting with your parents to discuss different options..