Meaningful ethical education (the development of ethical beings), happens when peoples feelings and behaviour change, as well as their ideas

CAS provides a major opportunity for ethical education, understood as involving principles, attitudes and behaviour. 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.

It aims to encourage: The development of a coherent ethical identity: free, autonomous, able to make and accountable for ethically valid decisions A respectful and peaceful coexistence among people, groups, cultures and countries, celebrating diversity as wealth of humanity Intercultural understanding, safeguarding the identity of people and communities involved

It requires the development of ethical capacities involving the whole person, thinking, feeling, perceiving and behaving, looking for personal fulfilment and community welfare. It fosters to improve the capacity to understand and behave in concrete situations It is carried out through experiential learning.

It is constituted by capacities as: Self awareness and self esteem Empathy Dialogue Ethical deliberation Sensitivity Critical understanding Cooperation Decision making and problem solving skills Self-regulation … among others.

It is a process which goes through different stages: Plan, act (Concrete experience) Observe, reflect (Ongoing critical reflection) New understandings (Framing of concepts) Apply learning in new situations.

Concrete experiences contribute to developing: Autonomy Reflection Capacity of dialogue Open mindedness Commitment Responsible participation Full respect for Human Rights.

Ethical education fosters to develop personalities capable of building, rationally and autonomously, their own value system, being able to make critical judgements of the reality of each situation, in a dynamic process of adaptation and transformation. It is actually learning how to live together.

CAS provides great opportunities to develop the capacity to solve human situations in the light of freely chosen principles that render social harmony and respectful coexistence possible. Abstract ethical principles are transformed into behavioral directions and value guidelines orienting the actions.