CAS
as explained by the
International Baccalaureate Organization
Each IB Diploma
candidate is required partake in CAS – extracurricular activities
comprised of Creativity, Physical Action, and Community Service.
The International
Baccalaureate Organization views the CAS program as a critical element
in the Diploma Program.
The creativity,
action, service (CAS) requirement takes seriously the importance
of life outside the world of scholarship, providing a counterbalance
to the academic self-absorption some students may feel within a
demanding school curriculum. The creative, physical and social development
of human beings can be shaped by their own experiences. Participation
in CAS encourages students to share their energies and special talents
while developing awareness, concern and the ability to work cooperatively
with others. The IBO’s goal of educating the whole person
and fostering more caring and socially responsible attitudes comes
alive in an immediate way when students reach beyond themselves
and their books. The educational benefits of CAS apply in the school
community, and in the local, national and international communities.
CAS should extend the students. It should challenge them to develop
a value system by which they enhance their personal growth. It should
develop a spirit of open-mindedness, lifelong learning, discovery
and self-reliance. It should encourage the development of new skills
on many levels: for example, creative skills, physical skills and
social skills. It should inspire a sense of responsibility towards
all members of the community. It should also encourage the development
of attitudes and traits that will be respected by others, such as
determination and commitment, initiative and empathy.
Although there
are three elements to CAS, it is important not to consider them
as mutually exclusive. CAS is about the education of the whole person,
and the three elements are therefore interwoven. Together, they
enable a student to recognize that there are many opportunities
in life, away from formal academic study, to grow in knowledge of
life, self and others. Creative and physical activities are particularly
important for adolescents (probably more so than for any other age
group) because popular culture informs and shapes their desires
and values. There are also pursuits which offer much opportunity
for fun and enjoyment at a time which is, for many young people,
full of stress and uncertainty.
The service element
of CAS is, in itself, the most significant, but the two other elements
are also very important, as they provide access, balance, and flexibility
to meet individual students’ interests and preferences. However,
even more important in the model is that it is not just a matter
of three individual parts: uniquely in the Diploma Programme it
is the interaction of them all that creates the richness of CAS.
The whole of CAS is greater than the sum of its parts. While it
might be maintained that the Diploma Programme hexagon model is
currently the best available to develop academic skills and talents,
it is more difficult to determine what the formula should be to
develop a student’s “informed heart”. The development
of an “informed heart” should be an integral part of
a student’s international education. But how it can happen
is obviously the crux of the matter; at the very least we need to
take into account vast individual differences.
The IBO recognizes
that schools authorized to offer its programmes worldwide operate
in diverse geographical, cultural, economic and political environments.
While acknowledging global diversity, each school’s CAS activities
must be central to the Diploma Programme and reflect the school’s
understanding of the philosophy and spirit that inform the CAS requirement.
Aims
The aims of the
CAS requirement are to enable students to develop:
• an appreciation of the potential of the human mind and spirit
• knowledge, skills and understanding
• an awareness of humanitarian issues across the world
• a recognition that education imposes lifelong ethical responsibilities
• a willingness to inquire and an enjoyment of discovery
• confidence in their ability to initiate change, both individually
and collaboratively
• autonomy and self-reliance
• an appreciation of their own and others’ talents
Objectives
Having completed
the CAS requirement, candidates should be able to demonstrate:
• self-confidence and modesty
• attitudes and values which respect human dignity and which
transcend barriers of race,
class, religion, gender and politics
• an awareness of humanitarian and environmental issues, and
the development of an
ethical position on them from a local, national and international
perspective
• a willingness to interact meaningfully with others
• a sense of responsibility towards all members of the local,
national and global
communities, and a commitment to be of value to those communities
• personal qualities of curiosity, honesty and self-criticism
• an ability to reflect on and to learn from experiences
• a spirit of discovery, commitment, initiative, determination
and perseverance
• the ability to meet challenges and an awareness of personal
limitations
• practical skills which can be used in the service of others
and in a future career.
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