Design Thinking for Deeper Student Learning - Henry Ford Learning Institute

Upcoming Workshops & Events

Conference Sessions

HFLI Summer 2026 Design Thinking for Student Learning

3-Day Workshop for Educators | Dearborn/Detroit MI

August 5th – 7th (Wednesday through Friday)

Design Thinking for Deeper Student Learning is a 3-day immersive workshop designed to introduce educators from all disciplines to design thinking tools and methods they can use to create and facilitate powerful and equitable learning experiences for their students and colleagues. Learn more and register.

Deeper Learning 2026 | San Diego CA

Community Rap Sessions: Fostering Authentic Family & Community Partnership

Monday, March 30th (4:30-6:00pm) and Wednesday, April 1st (10:00-11:30am)

Too often, learning environments are created without the voices of the people

they are meant to serve. Imagine instead building authentic partnerships with families and communities—working together to identify needs, co-create solutions, and celebrate growth. If you’re a school leader seeking to strengthen these connections, join us to experience community rap sessions, a culturally responsive and restorative practice that elevates every voice.In this session, educators first engage as learners in an immersive rap session, then shift to exploring the structures and planning needed to bring this practice back to their schools. Together, we will examine how to make community rap sessions a routine way to engage families and community members. Participants will leave with strategies, artifacts, action steps, and greater confidence to lead authentically with their communities.

Life Design Convening | Bowling Green State University (OH)

Building Community and Connection Through Shared Purpose, Shared Work and Shared Joy

Thursday, May 14 (10:30am – 11:45am)

How might we harness the power of creative play to build joyful, authentic relationships? HFLI’s Executive Director, Deborah Parizek, will help kick off the Life Design Convening with a workshop that engages attendees in shared work, shared purpose, and shared joy, through activities and games that center fun, build trust through vulnerability, and encourage creativity.

Webinars

Critical Thinking and Creative Problem-Solving for Career Academies with Context Maps

Hosted by Ford Next Generation Learning (Ford NGL)

Thursday, March 26, 12:00pm Eastern

Complex, messy problems are a fact of life – for students, teachers, school leaders and industry partners. We all need a way to approach them with strong critical thinking and creative problem-solving tools and skills. This interactive webinar features HFLI’s Deborah Parizek and Theodore Kozerski, who will lead participants through

visually mapping a problem common in career academies; analyzing it for interdependencies, possible assumptions, and areas of leverage; reflecting on and discussing possible use opportunities; and drafting a plan for how to bring the approach to their classroom, career academy or district. Everyone will leave with access to additional resources available from our online bank and contacts for follow-on coaching.

BUILDING EDUCATOR & STUDENT WELLNESS: SHARED PURPOSE, SHARED WORK, SHARED JOY

Building Educator and Student Wellness: Shared Purpose, Shared Work, Shared Joy hosted by Ford NGL

Hosted by Ford NGL, in this webinar, HFLI’s Deborah Parizek (Executive Director) and Clare McKenna (Associate Director for Learning) facilitate a discussion that focuses on how to nurture authentic connections and wellness through shared purpose, shared work, and shared joy. Designed for educators, community members, and partners, this session focused on creating relationships that center student learning while supporting educators’ efforts. Gain insights and actionable ideas to strengthen wellness and drive transformative change in your education ecosystem.

Watch the Recording!

Here's what educators are saying
about our workshops

I enjoyed the approach where we were the learner first, and we were able to experience design thinking from the student perspective and build empathy for how they might feel going through this process.

This was one of the best workshops I have attended. I love how our ideas in the museum challenge were valued and felt like we might have an impact on the museum.

Now knowing how to navigate the steps of design thinking, I can’t wait to explore how it fits into various parts of my class and curriculum!

Awesome. No time wasted. We used every second of the day, each day.

You really brought in actionable ways to bridge the social-emotional learning gaps.

Wonderful workshop! I really enjoyed the laid-back feel and the professional ways our ideas were honored and questions were immediately addressed with care and genuine consideration.

This process will be really useful for helping to teach students how to think creatively and research effectively.

I like how the workshop went back and forth between concrete examples of how to use the process, then gave us the opportunity to engage in practicing the techniques.

This will help get students more involved in their learning, taking ownership of their work, and building teamwork between students.