FlowMind is a participatory digital tool designed to support the emotional wellbeing of international and migrant students. Built as part of a PhD research project in Germany, it integrates personal narratives, participatory design, and HCI methodologies.
Many migrant students experience emotional stress, identity confusion, and cultural disconnection. Current digital mental health tools often lack empathy, cultural adaptation, and trust. At the same time, migrant students play a vital role in enhancing innovation, cultural diversity, and skilled labor, driving scientific advancement, economic growth, and soft power in host countries. Their presence reshapes education systems, immigration policies, and national identity, while reinforcing demographic and cultural resilience. FlowMind aims to fill this gap with a user-driven, hybrid digital solution.
| Method | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Autoethnography | Capture personal emotional experience |
| Semi-Structured Interviews | Collect diverse lived experiences |
| Grounded Theory | Code emotional patterns |
| Thematic Analysis | Extract recurring themes |
| Persona Design | Represent user types with emotion-focused data |
Quote: “I had to become my own mother and father in Germany.”