• Identify the challenges international students face when looking for employment in the United States.

• Understand the expectations of international students from a learning course.

• Identify the most effective ways to deliver content to international students.

• Determine the most engaging and motivating elements of a learning course for international students.

• Need or Problem

  • What is the need for this / What is the problem? 

  • What kinds of gaps can we identify(e.g. knowledge, skills, motivation, attitude, environment…)?

  • What is the significance of the problem? (what negative impact does it have)

  • What would success of the project look like?  

  • What is the CAUSE or ORIGIN of the problem? 

  • Is there an existing solution/instruction?

• Learner Analysis

  • What are the key characteristics of out learner population?

  • Motivations

    • Why are the learners in the learning environment (captive, willing?)? 

    • What are the various types of motivations the learners have (intrinsic, extrinsic)? 

    • What might get them excited about the content? Current pain points / wishes?

  • Challenges: What are some tensions or challenges that might exist with the learners engaging with the knowledge and skills that you hope they will gain?

  • Opportunities: What are some unique characteristics about the learners that might be leveraged within the learning environment?

Primary Research: 

• Surveys: Conduct online surveys to gather information from international students. The survey will cover topics such as challenges, expectations, and preferences in terms of course delivery.

• Interviews: Conduct one-on-one interviews with international students to gain a deeper understanding of their experiences and challenges.

Secondary Research: 

• Researched OGS, Wasserman career services, and other related websites. 

• Interviewed with professionals who work in OGS and Wasserman Center.