Service: Investigation

In the Investigation stage you will need to provide information in a proposal. This shows that you understand and care about a global issue and can engage in a local context. You will need to educate yourself through research and interviews. Through this you can frame your intended outcome of the project.

Here is what to include in the Investigation: 

• Identify the needs - Why is this project necessary? IMPORTANT you must show sufficient evidence that this is something that is needed by the community or others, not just because you think it is.
• Document the research and data using MISO model.
• What type of service or action is it? (Service is joining in something already happening. Action is something new you design)
  • Indirect
  • Direct
  • Advocacy
  • Research
• Community input-
  • Document interactions with experts and partners. What evidence do you have of people already working on this issue? How can experts help you? Who are others also working on this?
• Classroom connection, skills and learning outcomes
  • What connection does this have to academic subjects?
  • What skills are you developing
• What learning outcomes and global citizenship competencies are you developing?

Example Investigation Documentation

Community Addressed: Students and teachers at Mingde School, rural Shanxi Province, China

Description:
For my CAS project, I’m joining the Mingde School Service Trip. This project connects WAB students with a rural school community in Shanxi Province. Our main goal is to bring creative, engaging, and meaningful learning experiences to Mingde students, while also learning from their culture and perspectives. We’ll be teaching English, art, PE, and environmental activities, and working together on shared projects like gardening and murals. I see this as a chance to build genuine relationships and learn how to serve in ways that are thoughtful and reciprocal.

Global Issue Addressed:
This project addresses the impact of internal migration in China, where many families move to urban areas for work opportunities, leaving children to grow up in their “left-behind” rural villages with grandparents or other relatives. This has created a significant rural–urban education gap, where students in rural communities often have fewer educational resources, extracurricular opportunities, and exposure to global perspectives compared to students in cities. By collaborating with Mingde School, our goal is not to “fix” these challenges, but to build meaningful connections, exchange ideas, and create shared learning experiences that value both communities’ strengths.

Interests, Skills, and Talents:
I’ve always been interested in education, cultural exchange, and sustainability, and I enjoy working with younger students. I’m good at communicating clearly, working in teams, and thinking creatively. I also like problem-solving and adapting plans when things change, which I think will be important during this trip.

Areas for Personal Growth and Development:
Through this project, I want to become more confident in leading activities, especially in new environments where things might not always go as planned. I also want to improve my inclusive teaching strategies, making sure every student feels involved and valued. Another area of growth for me is intercultural understanding—learning how to collaborate respectfully with a community that has different experiences and resources than my own.

My MISO Investigation

Media:
To prepare, I read through past trip reports, blog posts, and photo journals from previous Mingde visits. These gave me a clearer idea of what kinds of lessons work best (like hands-on art, interactive games, and environmental projects) and what the school environment looks like. I also learned more about China’s internal migration patterns and how this affects rural schools, which gave me important context for understanding the global issue behind this project.

Interview:
I talked with students and teachers who joined the trip in past years. They shared useful tips—like how to keep lessons simple, use lots of visuals and movement, and stay adaptable if something unexpected happens. They also talked about the meaningful relationships they built with Mingde students, which motivated me even more.

Survey:
As part of the preparation, our group collected input from Mingde teachers through WAB coordinators to better understand their needs. We learned that they appreciate lessons that focus on basic English vocabulary, creative activities, and physical movement, and that they’re excited about continuing sustainability projects like gardening. This helped shape the kinds of lessons we’re planning.

Observation:
In our planning sessions at school, we practiced teaching mini-lessons and observed what strategies worked best with mixed age groups. We also looked at photos and videos of the school, which helped me visualize the spaces where we’ll be teaching and what materials will be available. This made me more aware of the need to design lessons that are easy to set up and don’t rely on technology.

Purpose and Plan of Action

The purpose of this CAS experience is to create meaningful learning exchanges between WAB students and Mingde students, while exploring real global issues like migration and educational inequality. Our plan includes:

• Participating in training sessions to learn about teaching strategies, inclusion, and cross-cultural communication.
• Designing and preparing short, interactive lessons in teams, guided by what we learned through the MISO investigation.
• Traveling to Mingde School to facilitate lessons, share cultural activities, and work together on creative projects.
• Reflecting each day to understand our impact and personal growth.

Ultimately, I want this project to be more than just “teaching.” I want it to be about listening, learning, and connecting, while also understanding my role in addressing complex global issues in a respectful and collaborative way.