Older adults embrace design thinking: A feasibility study on blended learning formats

Teaching design thinking methods is widely embraced in corporate settings to foster innovation, problem solving and entrepreneurial skills, but its impacts with older learners remain unexplored. This feasibility study offers a blended learning course on design thinking originally developed for businesses to older adults. It examines older learners’ learning experiences, skill acquisition, application to real-life projects, demands for individualization and improvement of the learning format. Five older learners (Mage = 64, one woman) participated in a 3-month blended learning course on design thinking. The course combined asynchronous e-learning with synchronous online and on-site group collaboration to develop and implement innovative project ideas. Semi-structured interviews conducted before, during, and after the course captured participants’ motivations, challenges, needs, and experiences. Qualitative data analyses identified key themes in participants’ learning journey. Participants actively engaged with innovation-related topics, showing strong preferences for applied, active and collaborative learning. While e-learning was valued for acquiring theoretical knowledge, participants preferred on-site sessions for applying concepts and tackling real-world projects. Their motivation stemmed from a desire to make a social impact through real-life projects. Challenges such as time constraints and the need for individualized support highlight areas for improving future educational programs. The findings indicate the potential of lifelong learning initiatives integrating innovative methods such as design thinking and practical application for older learners. These learning initiatives do not only enhance learning experiences, but also foster entrepreneurial skills and contribute to a positive societal impact of older learners.