Creativity, action, service

This article is part of a series on the International Baccalaureate

IB programmes: Primary Years Programme (PYP) Middle Years Programme (MYP) Diploma Programme (DP)

Institutions: International Baccalaureate (formerly IBO) United World Colleges

Lists: IB people

IBDP curriculum: Group 1: Language A1 Group 2: Second language Group 3: Individuals and societies Group 4: Experimental sciences Group 5: Mathematics and computer science Group 6: The arts Extended essay (EE) Theory of knowledge (TOK) Creativity, action, service (CAS)

Creativity, action, service (CAS, or SAC in Austria) is a mandatory core component of the IB Diploma Programme. It aims to provide a 'counterbalance' to the academic rigour of the educational programme. Before the 2010 examination there was a 150 hour requirement, with an approximately equal distribution of creativity, action, and service. This was mainly done for two reasons: to ensure that students engage in meaningful activities and to decrease the amount of CAS fraud (i.e. claiming hours which have not been completed). Students are now expected to have two CAS activities for each CAS category and students need to prove that they are participating in CAS activities on a weekly basis (though not necessarily all CAS categories each week). Moreover, students must have one CAS project which spans more than three months and bridges two CAS components e.g. creativity and service. Finally one must prove that the CAS activities have resulted in the eight projected outcomes of the project (one CAS activity can have multiple outcomes).^{[citation needed]}

CAS outcomes

• Increase awareness of your strengths and areas for growth
• Undertake new challenges
• Plan and initiate activities
• Work collaboratively with others
• Show perseverance and commitment
• Engage with issues of global importance
• Consider ethical implications
• Develop new skills^[1]

CAS aims

The function of CAS is to allow IB schools the opportunity to "give students the means to learn through experience [and] how to take actions in the service of others."^[2]

All the portions (creativity, action, and service) are vaguely defined and should, according to the International Baccalaureate Organisation, be interpreted as imaginatively as possible, so that a wide array of different activities can qualify for CAS. The learning outcomes and the quality of the CAS activity are of utmost importance.

Documentation

While individual schools or regions have different methods of documentation, all require some form of proof or the signature of the activity coordinator to be presented after completion of the activity. Students must also personally keep track of their total records in either a log or "diary" format.^[3] This allows for students to monitor their required hours and to present a coherent documentation of their entire CAS experience.

2 in 5 students are now using the ManageBac (previously CAS Manager) to log their CAS activities.^[4] ManageBac allows students to upload CAS activities along with evidence in a type of "blog format." It also allows supervisor evaluations to be submitted electronically, thus eliminating the paper work of the CAS program. In the new CAS program from 2010 onwards, students are expected not only to get supervisor evaluations as evidence for completion of CAS activities, but also upload evidence. ManageBac allows students to submit pictures, text files, and YouTube videos as evidence for completion. In addition students have to select which outcomes the evidence shows they have achieved. A description of the activity and outcomes is also required in order to submit the activity on ManageBac.

CAS performance and records are documented by the student using official forms (CAS/CP) that are submitted to the IB regional offices at the beginning of the examination session.

Assessment

CAS is internally assessed however IBO can ask for a number of random samples to be submitted. A failure to complete and provide evidence for completion is considered a failing condition for the entire Diploma (although candidates are given another year to finish their CAS program if they fail, and if they complete it in this time they will receive their diploma).

Footnotes

1. ^ http://www.shs.issaquah.wednet.edu/Docs/CAS%20outcomes%2008.pdf
2. ^ Elisabeth Fox (2001). "The Emergence of the International Baccalaureate as an Impetus for Curriculum Reform". In Mary Hayden and Jeff Thompson. International Education: Principles and Practice (2nd ed.). Routledge. pp. 69. ISBN 0749436166. 
3. ^ http://casjuanfelipediaz.blogspot.com/
4. ^ http://managebac.com/

References

• Creativity, action, service (CAS) ibo.org, retrieved 2009-06-05