Digitization is changing learning like almost no other social development before it. Digital education describes how the educational process is changing with the use of digital media: Learning is increasingly taking place virtually, whether as an e-lecture, webinar, Massive Open Online Course (MOOC), in the “flipped classroom” or through special learning apps. However, digital education also involves how learning objectives are changing. This is about more than just acquiring factual knowledge. Much more important is the ability to acquire knowledge in a self-organized manner, to apply it, and to develop creative solutions to problems independently.

In Germany, there is a lack of both: schools lack the basic equipment needed to use digital technologies didactically and pedagogically in the classroom and to teach how these technologies work. Secondly, teachers lack the skills to actually use these technologies in the classroom.

The first step on the road to digital education is therefore to roll out the technology in all schools and to provide an appropriate service. The second step is to incorporate digital competencies as a standard part of teacher training and in-service teacher education.
This document describes the technical basis and outlines how teacher training can succeed. Finally, examples of learning with digital media are described.