E-learning in Germany

The Internet is also undoubtedly seen as a teaching and learning medium. This is clearly reflected in the responses of both experts and consumers to “Deutschland Online 3”. A resounding 92% of experts from government agencies consider “offliners” to be heavily to very heavily disadvantaged in social and professional terms by comparison with “onliners”. The consumers consulted are also of the view that Internet users have major benefits in this regard — around 64% agree with this notion to a high or very high degree. Mastery of broadband applications will, according to the clear majority of users (around 76%), be highly relevant in their professional and private life. Broadband skills are also considered by 60% of the experts consulted to be of great to very great importance in social and professional terms.

What is meant by “offliners” being disadvantaged in some way? The significance of new media in vocational and educational circles will continue to grow in the future. Around 55% of experts from government agencies agree to a high or very high degree that the inclusion of PC and broadband Internet in teaching and learning will be one of the most significant challenges of the German education system. Simplified access to a wide variety of information sources from all over the world is rated by 80% of respondents as a medium to highly significant advantage of broadband Internet for “onliners”. This simple and individual means of gaining knowledge remains inaccessible to “offliners” (Figure 26).

Figure 26:		Significance of broadband Internet for education and society (experts from government agencies)

The great significance of computers and the Internet is also clear from expert responses to e-learning. Almost 10% of the experts consulted believe the use of broadband e-learning applications will be effective to very effective even at the primary school level. As the educational level rises, the importance ascribed to these applications also increases. Around 43% to 52% of respondents consider e-learning to be highly to very highly significant in secondary education and vocational training. E-learning is considered to be most significant in the realm of continuing education and university studies. In both areas, around 74% and 65% of the experts respectively are convinced to a high or very high degree of the effectiveness of e-learning (Figure 27).

Figure 27:		Effectiveness of broadband-based e-learning applications in various educational sectors (experts from government agencies)

Broadband Internet and computers are significant factors for education at all levels. But it is also clear that the development status in Germany leaves plenty of scope for improvement in comparison with other countries.

The number of German school pupils (21%) regularly using computers in class in the year 2003, for example, was much lower than in the US (41%) or Sweden (46%), and the OECD average for 2003 was 39%³.

However, it is also anticipated that progress in this area in Germany will continue to lag behind other countries in the future by a considerable margin. Experts do not expect the rate of computer usage in schools to reach 44% until the year 2010 — a level attained by the Sweden and the US back in 2003 (Figure 28). Nevertheless, it is predicted that such school usage will rise to 71% in Germany by 2015.

Figure 28:		Trend in computer usage in German school classrooms (experts from government agencies)

This increase in computer usage in schools also reflects the expectations of German consumers. For the year 2005 over 63% of them would prefer, to a high or very high degree, to see their children regularly using broadband Internet and computers. By the year 2010, more than 80% of the German public would like to see this happen (Figure 29).

Figure 29:		Desired use of ICT technology in schools (consumers)

According to the experts, Germany’s level of development in the e-learning sphere can only be described as average. The situation in Germany is rated as being better or much better than Italy and Spain by around 33% to 43% respectively, but all other countries are viewed as being level with or ahead of Germany. France is seen to be at a comparable level, while Germany’s status is viewed by around 48% of experts from government agencies as being worse or much worse than Great Britain, with an even greater gap between Germany and the USA (around 68% worse or much worse) and Sweden (over 70%) (Figure 30).

Figure 30:		Current uptake of e-learning in Germany in comparison with other countries (experts from government agencies)

As well as the low uptake of e-learning and the use of computers and broadband Internet in schools, the differences in Internet usage between the various social classes is also cause for concern. This phenomenon is known as the digital divide. Particularly in population segments with a lower level of education, Internet use is relatively low (Figure 31). Even if the number of “onliners” continues to increase in all of the educational groups surveyed, it is anticipated that the percentage of primary and lower secondary school leavers (Hauptschule) will remain well below average (63%) even in the year 2015. The group with grammar school (Gymnasium) or university qualifications had already reached that point in the year 2004 and the figure is expected by the experts consulted to climb to over 96% by the year 2015 — making it the group with by far the highest proportion of “onliners”.

Figure 31:		Trend in percentage of “onliners” in various educational groups in Germany through 2015 (Experts from government agencies)

It is obvious that there is a big gap between demand and reality when it comes to broadband-based e-learning in Germany. Computer and Internet use in schools and vocational training must be greatly expanded and full-scale market penetration of broadband Internet pursued to avert the danger of the digital divide in German society. In any event, it should not be forgotten that optimum education and vocational training are crucial factors in the globally competitive marketplace.