A new perspective on what learning can be
Successful launch of the part-time certificate programme in EdTech Product Management
2026-01-28 From playful learning apps to virtual reality and AI-supported learning tools, digital education solutions are among the key areas for the future of our knowledge society and are developing at a rapid pace. New technological possibilities, changing learning habits and increasing demands for flexibility and individualisation are continuously driving innovation in the education sector.
This is precisely where the part-time certificate programme in EdTech Product Management at Leuphana Professional School, which started for the first time at the beginning of October, comes in. Employees of large textbook publishers, current or former teachers, freelancers and employees of companies that are otherwise involved in the field of digital education – the backgrounds of the current students are as diverse as they come. Steffi Wössner, lecturer for the first module, ‘Future and Learning,’ considers this to be a great strength of the cohort: ‘What inspired me most was seeing how real creative power emerges from very different perspectives. When people come together to ask how learning can be designed in a future-oriented way, it's more than just product development – it's the beginning of the transformation of learning.’
That is what her module is all about: the human-centred development of digital learning solutions that address the actual needs and challenges of the education system and offer solutions for teachers and learners. To this end, she sends the students on a design thinking journey in groups, during which they develop an idea for an EdTech application in several steps and continue to refine it. This journey is accompanied by input from various experts from the field. For many, the design thinking method was an unfamiliar modus operandi, but all students embraced it nonetheless: ‘I was impressed by the openness, depth and creativity with which the participants approached the joint work,’ says Steffi Wössner.
At the end of November, the groups presented their results and Steffi Wössner was thrilled: ‘The concepts developed show that product development and educational approach do not have to be mutually exclusive – on the contrary. For me, it was particularly valuable to see how diversity led to genuine co-creation: different perspectives from schools, publishers, further education and independent practice inspired each other.’
Course director Torben Schmidt shares this view: "It is impressive how the students in their teams have quickly put what they learned in the module into practice in innovative ideas and product concepts for digital learning solutions. The concepts developed for digital learning apps in the field of future-oriented learning demonstrate not only technical expertise, but also a deep understanding of how learning processes can be designed to be effective, motivating and sustainable in a digital world."
The students also gave a very positive assessment of this first module: “In just seven weeks, four fellow students and I designed an educational app, even though none of us had ever done anything like this before. [...] We had some nerve-wracking evening sessions, but the result is a prototype with playful and lovingly crafted details,‘ reports participant Leonie proudly. But it wasn't just the result that focused on people, but also the process: ’The module wasn't just very resource-oriented, we were ultimately dependent on the respective strengths of the group members. I was also able to rediscover long-forgotten skills, such as my flair for design concepts, and rediscover my imagination (‘Leonie, you always see things so clearly’). That was incredibly wonderful.”
Overall, all participants have a positive conclusion about the first run of the ‘Future and Learning’ module. Steffi Wössner sums it up as follows: ‘The module was not only the starting point of the programme, but perhaps also a new perspective for many on what education can be today and tomorrow.’ And so the students are starting the next EdTech Product Management module, ‘Data and Learning,’ in the best possible position.
©Leonie Feix
©Leuphana