Using Empathize-Based Learning to Deepen Understanding of Low-Carbon Concepts in the Aviation Industry

Abstract

As the aviation industry continues to expand to accommodate international travel and transport, such growth contradicts sustainable development goals-especially those concerning the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions that critically impact the global environment. Therefore, cultivating awareness and strategies for carbon emission reduction among future aviation professionals is essential. This requires meaningful and participatory learning processes that foster critical thinking aligned with environmental sustainability objectives.
This qualitative study aimed to explore students’ evolving understanding of low carbon concepts within the aviation industry, using the Empathize stage of the Design Thinking process as a core instructional strategy. The participants were 29 second-year airline business students (cohort 66) from the School of Tourism and Hospitality, Suan Dusit University, Suphanburi Campus, enrolled in the course “Organization and Human Resource Management in Airline Business” during the first semester of the 2024 academic year. Data were collected through learning activity sets, worksheets, reflective journals, progress reports, rubrics, and group interviews, and were analyzed using content analysis. The study revealed that students developed a more nuanced understanding across three core dimensions, including the necessity and significance of the issue, practical approaches and technologies, and aspects of organizational management and process design. These insights were accompanied by the development of practical solutions aligned with carbon reduction goals at the operational level, and were further enriched by the experience of engaging with real-world challenges. This combination of knowledge acquisition and practical engagement helped foster systems thinking and a well-rounded integration of knowledge at both individual and group levels.