With the invention of the HTML programming language in the 1990s, digitalization began to accelerate. Today, living without digital skills is almost impossible. Therefore, educational institutions play a key role in this process. This blog article summarizes the DIPF* education report and focuses on the key findings regarding the digitalization of the German education system.

The Evolution of Digitalization

Since British researcher Tim Berners-Lee developed the HTML language and the World Wide Web, significant progress has been made. Thirty years later, mobile devices and the Internet dominate the professional and everyday world. The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 further accelerated digitalization. While in 1998 only one in ten households had Internet access, 20 years later, nine out of ten are connected. Moreover, most people own multiple digital devices, and at increasingly younger ages. Young children are exposed to digital media in the family environment, and by the age of 12, owning a smartphone has become the norm.

Digital Skills Are Becoming Increasingly Important

As digital devices integrate into our daily and professional lives, the need for individuals to acquire digital skills also grows. Educational institutions play a crucial role in this process. However, not everyone has the same level of digitalization, as it depends on factors such as educational background, geographic location, socioeconomic status, age, gender, and more. To reduce these structural inequalities, the education system must provide digital skills training. Just as society digitalizes, so does the education system, although at varying levels across different education sectors. While early childhood education mainly uses digital media for administrative purposes, universities and vocational training centers have a much higher level of integration.

Use of Digital Media in Early Childhood Education

The use of digital media in early education is a topic of debate. Experts emphasize their educational benefits, but many parents remain skeptical about their use in kindergartens. Nevertheless, almost all early childhood education institutions have digital devices, mostly digital cameras (92%) or PCs/laptops (82%). However, tablets, which are more suitable for young children, are available in only 7% of institutions. Despite this, the technological infrastructure in kindergartens has improved in recent years.

Deficient Infrastructure in Schools

The Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs (KMK) recommends that learning with and about digital media should begin in primary schools. However, the technological infrastructure in German schools remains below average compared to international standards. To address this issue, the “Digital Pact for Schools” was approved in 2019, allocating €5.5 billion to improve digital infrastructure in educational institutions. Despite this investment, many schools still lack mobile devices and broadband Internet. A survey conducted in early 2020 revealed that over two-thirds of primary school principals reported that their schools had neither mobile devices (71%) nor Wi-Fi access (69%) in all classrooms. Compared to other European countries, Germany lags behind in the availability of laptops and tablets. Furthermore, German teachers frequently complain about inadequate IT equipment and limited access to digital learning materials.

Universities Are Mostly Digitalized

In universities and vocational training, digital media are widely used for both organization and teaching. However, not all their potential has been fully utilized. Across the education sector, digital media are often used merely to support traditional learning methods (e.g., in the form of digital texts) rather than being employed innovatively. According to the education report, opportunities to personalize learning, activate students, and provide individualized support through digital media are still underutilized.

Conclusion

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted both the potential and the necessity of fully integrating digital media into education.

Teachers believe that digital learning can be motivating and can facilitate access for certain students. However, only a small percentage of educators associate digital media with improved learning quality. This could be due to the lack of available digital resources in schools, preventing teachers from gaining experience with them. International comparisons suggest that technical conditions, attitudes, and skills influence each other. According to the report, “teachers who do not have the necessary digital resources in their institutions tend to be more skeptical about the usefulness of these tools and the necessity of acquiring new digital skills.”

For this reason, it is increasingly important to train educators in technological, digital pedagogy, and subject-specific didactic competencies.