Purpose of the CAS Portfolio (DP IB Creativity, Activity, Service): Revision Note

What is the purpose of the CAS portfolio?

The role of the portfolio

• The CAS portfolio is a collection of evidence and reflections that showcases your engagement with the programme

  • It is used to plan your CAS journey and document your personal growth

• It serves as the primary record of your involvement and the achievement of the seven learning outcomes

• The portfolio is not formally assessed, but it is the key evidence used to confirm you have completed CAS (which is required for the award of the IB Diploma)

  • It can also be a valuable addition to a resume or CV for prospective employers or educational institutions

Creating the Profile

• The Profile—the first section of the portfolio—is where you map your interests, skills and talents against the three CAS strands (creativity, activity and service)

  • TThe Profile often supports the Investigation stage—the first of the CAS stages where you identify your interests and determine the purpose of your experiences

• You should include personal goals and consider how your values align with the IB learner profile (the ten attributes, such as being principled or reflective, that the IB aims to develop in students)

• Setting these goals allows you to identify both short-term and long-term objectives for the 18-month programme

Documenting Experiences

• The Experiences section of the portfolio chronicles your journey over the duration of the programme

• It incorporates a variety of reflections—the process of thoughtfully considering your thoughts and feelings regarding an experience

  • Reflections help you explore your strengths and limitations while considering how to use prior learning in new contexts

• This section should show ongoing engagement and, where appropriate, how you used the CAS stages (especially for sustained experiences and CAS projects).

Gathering Evidence

• In the Evidence section, you collect and showcase the results of your involvement and achievements

The portfolio in interviews

• The portfolio is the main source of evidence used during the three formal CAS interviews

  • During these sessions, your CAS coordinator reviews your evidence and provides feedback

  • The final interview is a summative discussion where you use your portfolio to demonstrate achievement of the seven learning outcomes across your overall CAS programme