CAS at ISWA

CAS is one of the three essential elements of the Diploma Programme. At ISWA every candidate will be involved in a variety of activities both individual and group. Over the 18 months candidates will ensure the three CAS strands of Creativity, Action and Service are covered.

CAS Booklet 2009-2010

How ISWA defines the three CAS strands

CREATIVITY is imagination. Creativity involves creating or making something. It is your own, not something someone else will do. If there is no imagination involved, it is probably not creative. Music is creative if you are involved in writing a composition or score and then have it performed publicly. If you are following someone else’s creations, then it is not creative; it’s learning a skill.

ACTION means to carry out or execute a plan of some sort. Action is not going to a club meeting and sitting in the corner watching the clock. Action implies movement. You DO something.

SERVICE means you met a need in the community at large, you helped someone. Think: charity, environment, help someone, going beyond the school.

How ISWA determines if a CAS activity is acceptable

All CAS activities should involve:

  • Real, purposeful activities, with significant outcomes.
  • Personal challenge-tasks must extend the student and be achievable in scope
  • Thoughtful consideration, such as planning, reviewing progress, reporting
  • Reflection on outcomes and personal learning.
  • Learning experiences that give opportunities to achieve the eight learning outcomes

The Eight Learning Outcomes

Learning outcomes are differentiated from assessment objectives because they are not rated on a scale. The completion decision for the school in relation to each student is, simply, “Have these outcomes been achieved?”

As a result of their CAS experience as a whole, including their reflections, there should be evidence that students have:

  • increased their awareness of their own strengths and areas for growth

    They are able to see themselves as individuals with various skills and abilities, some more developed than others, and understand that they can make choices about how they wish to move forward.

  • undertaken new challenges

    A new challenge may be an unfamiliar activity, or an extension to an existing one.

  • planned and initiated activities

    Planning and initiation will often be in collaboration with others. It can be shown in activities that are part of larger projects, for example, ongoing school activities in the local community, as well as in small student‑led activities.

  • 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. At least one project, involving collaboration and the integration of at least two of creativity, action and service, is required.

  • shown perseverance and commitment in their activities

    At a minimum, this implies attending regularly and accepting a share of the responsibility for dealing with problems that arise in the course of activities.

  • 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 (for example, environmental concerns, caring for the elderly).

  • considered the ethical implications of their actions

    Ethical decisions arise in almost any CAS activity (for example, on the sports field, in musical composition, in relationships with others involved in service activities). Evidence of thinking about ethical issues can be shown in various ways, including journal entries and conversations with CAS advisers.

  • developed new skills

    As with new challenges, new skills may be shown in activities that the student has not previously undertaken, or in increased expertise in an established area. All eight outcomes must be present for a student to complete the CAS requirement. Some may be demonstrated many times, in a variety of activities, but completion requires only that there is some evidence for every outcome. This focus on learning outcomes emphasizes that it is the quality of a CAS activity (its contribution to the student’s development) that is of most importance.

CAS is not formally assessed but successful completion of CAS is a requirement for the award of IB Diploma

How ISWA students meet their CAS element

All ISWA candidates must complete the following:

  • Attend the CAS introductory course at the start of the school academic year.
  • Conduct a self-review at the start of their CAS experience. Candidates must set personal goals for what they hope to achieve through their programme. (see Form A)
  • Meet all deadlines as set out by the academic calendar. (see Diploma calendar) These include interviews, both interim and final review, dates for submissions of reflective forms and school website records.
  • Candidates plan, do and reflect on their CAS activities. (see Form B)
  • Candidates take part in a range of activities, including, one group project initiated by ISWA, as well as own initiated activities.
  • Candidates must show evidence of achievement of the eight CAS learning outcomes.(see Form C )
  • Candidates must keep reflective records of all their activities and achievements. Records to be kept on the ISWA’s server. (see electronic portfolio policy)

Reflections

  • Reflective pieces are written for each activity.
  • This is a self-evaluation of your personal performances and should reflect:
  1. The extent to which you develop personally as a result of the activity.
  2. The understanding, skills and values you acquired through the activity.
  3. The benefit you consider the activity was or may be to others.
  4. Reflections should consider the eight learning outcomes.

Reflections are to record changes, successes and challenges during the program. It is NOT meant to be merely a record of time spend and/or activities undertaken.

  • Record keeping must be approved by the CAS Coordinator, Mrs. Burnfield.
  • Self-evaluation of the eight learning outcomes must be completed. (See Form C)

Reflection Guide Questions

  • What types of activities did you choose and why did you choose them?
  • What did you learn about the people with whom you worked?
  • How have your experiences broadened your understanding of other ethnic or cultural viewpoints? A culture may include institutions, clubs, communities, etc.
  • To what extent did contact with people having differing viewpoints and experiences broaden your own views?
  • What did you learn about yourself through your participation in CAS activities?

All CAS activities must be approved before the activity begins if you want credit for them. You must submit a separate CAS activity form for each activity for which you are requesting credit. CAS forms are available from the CAS Coordinator, Mrs. Burnfield or can be downloaded from the school’s web site.

All candidates must be active participants on the major group activity for part of their ISWA’s CAS requirement.

Self initiated CAS activities must have a qualified, designated, approved adult leader. You must provide the leader’s name, address, and telephone number if the leader is not a member of ISWA’s staff. The leader must be present at the times when the activity is being carried out. The CAS leader must complete an evaluation form for each CAS student at the end of each activity. (see Form D) The CAS leader must have a “Working with Children check.”

CAS General Information and Rules

  • Any questions or concerns regarding a CAS project should be directed to the CAS Coordinator Mrs. Burnfield.
  • Creativity, Action and Service hours should be broken down into each section; requests to do more of one activity should be discussed with the CAS Coordinator.
  • No duplicate forms - each CAS self evaluation form should have unique answers for that particular activity.
  • Try to do a variety of activities for your CAS activities and spread them out over the eighteen months; don’t try to squeeze them all into one summer or one semester of school.
  • Sports teams: credit is given only after consultation with CAS Coordinator.
  • Theatre productions: credit is given for time spent performing, choreographing and/or composing.
  • Lessons for dance, music, art outside of ISWA count for lesson/instruction/performance time only, not for rehearsal time.
  • Clubs can count; extra involvement in a club such as being an officer can earn additional CAS credit if they are documented.
  • Band and Chorus can count toward CAS credit.
  • Taking lessons such as karate, dance, horseback riding, etc. can count toward action credit.
  • Students working toward a specific certification may count – to be discussed with the CAS Coordinator.
  • Working on the yearbook may count towards CAS credit – to be discussed with the CAS Coordinator.
  • Classes at ISWA that do not count toward your diploma may go towards CAS credit.
  • Working/volunteering with a political campaign and or lobbying group may not count toward CAS credit.