Woes of a Terrible CAS Coordinator

[Minuet]

A friend of mine and I were discussing CAS...specifically how terrible our coordinator is. She doesn't explain anything, let alone help us in the first place. All we know is that we need to have 150 hours, and that's it. Naturally, we got into panic mode. Here's my case: I completed my action and creativity hours, but still have a few left for service. I'm hearing stuff like you need one activity with all three elements, and one activity that's for 18 months...I've never heard this before. Can someone please clarify what are the requirements? For example, in order to pass CAS, you need...1 activity blah, 2 activities blah, 150 hours, etc. Clarification would be much appreciated.

Also, we're using an online blog to submit our reflections. Is there anything else in addition to that? Because she says we have to complete a scrapbook in addition to the blog. All my reflections basically consist of articles (if it's for my journalism internship) or pictures, etc. Is this enough?

Thanks in advance

[rFumachi]

In order to pass CAS, you need to:

1) Complete the 8 learning outcomes:

• Increased their awareness of their strengths and areas for growth.
  
• Undertaken new challenges.
  
• Planned and initiated activities.
  
• Worked collaboratively with others.
  
• Shown perseverance and commitment in their activities.
  
• Engaged with issues of global importance.
  
• Considered the ethical implications of their actions.
  
• Developed new skills
  

At the end of your course, your CAS coordinator will ask you to fill out an IB form, where you will have to identify all of these learning outcomes in your reflections, so try to focus your reflections on these things. Not just describe what you do, write about how the activity you did helped others and/or helped you, what did you learn during the activity?, was it difficult?, was it easy?, why?. CAS reflections are supposed to help you know yourself and the world around you, and the real change that one person can do. =)

2) Have a minimum of 150 CAS hours, which as you said are divided into creativity hours, action hours and service hours. But always try to do activities which involve more than one, that's why is called creativity, action AND service, and not creativity, action OR service.

And that's it! Oh, a clarification, the learning outcome #3 (Planned and initiated activities) is basically a personal project, it's an activity in which you will have, for example, to contact the person/institution where you will be doing your project, plan what you are going to do, coordinate the days and hours, etc.

I don't think I'm missing anything, but if I'm, probably someone will post it below

[Minuet]

Really? If that's it, then that's a relief! But I still have a question hehe. In the website we use, when you upload your reflection (picture, document, etc.) you have to choose what outcome it's evidence for. So, what, I just upload a picture of me with my group in my excursion trip and say it's "worked collaboratively with others"? Or is there something I'm missing?

Edited November 14, 2011 by Minuet

[rFumachi]

You should add something more than just the picture, if you went in an excursion trip, you could write about an experience that lead you to realize that "working collaboratively with others" is better than doing it by yourself, or something like that you know, so that your CAS coordinator can see an actual "reflection".

[matgcauthon]

What about a project? our coordinator is always going on about a project that has to last the entire 2 years and cover all 3 aspects (creativity, action and service). and she wants us to do something like 6 hours a week plus another 3 writing our journal...its pretty excesive especially as Cas doesnt count for any points...

[Rasmus Andersson]

Hi, isn't CAS nowadays supposed to be a continuous project that you engage in every week? That 150 hours is only the recommended amount of hours?

Regards

[dessskris]

150 hours is the minimum requirement. yes I heard you now have to do it every week for 18 months.

evidences are necessary, at least one per project on top of reflections.

on ManageBac I just tick all the learning outcomes relevant to the project when uploading my evidence and reflections.

the projects are totally up to the students, but some schools might have their own preference on what kind of projects their student must do.