Philosophy
CAS purposefully builds on the Primary Years Programme (PYP) and the Middle Years Programme (MYP), establishing continuity across the IB continuum of international education. CAS represents part of the Diploma Programme's ongoing commitment to the IB learner profile. As the IB's mission in action, the learner profile concisely describes the aspirations of a global community that shares the values underlying the IB's educational philosophy.
Through CAS, students continue to strengthen the approaches to learning they encounter and develop in the PYP and MYP. In approaches to learning, students are encouraged to grow both personally and socially, developing skills such as cooperation, problem-solving, conflict resolution and creative and critical thinking, as well as developing their own identities. CAS continues to develop students' ability to engage in critical reflection, offering increasingly sophisticated opportunities for students to analyse their own thinking, effort and performance. Students also learn how to set challenging goals and develop the commitment and perseverance to achieve them.
The elements of approaches to learning and the attributes of the learner profile highlighted and developed across the continuum of IB programmes are lived through the variety of CAS experiences and CAS project(s). Further, during CAS students continue to develop individual and shared responsibility, and effective teamwork and collaboration.
(Creativity, activity, service guide; 2015)
Application
The emphasis in CAS is on helping students to develop their own identities, in accordance with the ethical principles embodied in the IB mission statement and the IB learner profile. CAS complements a challenging academic programme in a holistic way, providing opportunities for self-determination, collaboration, accomplishment and enjoyment. It involves students in a range of activities alongside their academic studies throughout the DP. The three strands of CAS are Creativity (exploring and extending ideas leading to an original or interpretive product or performance), Activity (physical exertion contributing to a healthy lifestyle) and Service (collaborative and reciprocal engagement with the community in response to an authentic need). CAS contributes to the IB's mission to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.
(Diploma Programme: From principles into practice, 2015)
Through CAS, students will develop themselves through achievement of seven (7) defined Learning Outcomes:
- Learning outcome 1: Identify own strengths and develop areas for growth;
- Learning outcome 2: Demonstrate that challenges have been undertaken, developing new skills in the process;
- Learning outcome 3: Demonstrate how to initiate and plan a CAS experience;
- Learning outcome 4: Show commitment to and perseverance in CAS experiences;
- Learning outcome 5: Demonstrate the skills and recognise the benefits of working collaboratively;
- Learning outcome 6: Demonstrate engagement with issues of global significance;
- Learning outcome 7: Recognise and consider the ethics of choices and actions.
Students will undertake singular Experiences and long-term Projects with the aim of achieving the CAS Strands and Learning Outcomes in ways that are meaningful to them as individuals.
The International School Hilversum requires that all students meet the IB Diploma Programme minimum requirements for CAS Achievement. The school culture, however, stimulates students to achieve above and beyond these requirements.