Knowledge processes with digital media not only take place in the formal setting of schools and universities, but also in leisure time. People conduct self-directed research on the internet, use Wikipedia to look things up or Facebook to network with others.

The IWM has always regarded the practical field of universities as relevant. The portal e-teaching.org, run by the IWM, has been supporting and documenting the developments of university teaching with digital media since 2003. e-teaching.org set up a community of stakeholders in which current trends are discussed and presented to a wider public. With its comprehensive material, online events and newsletters, the portal offers an important basis for the qualification of university teachers.

Besides the internet another important place for informal learning processes are museums. With the progressive development of technology, museums use more and more digital media, e.g., in digital installations or as digital guides for exhibitions.

In more and more German classrooms, notebooks, tablets & co are being used. Students search on the internet, present their results with the help of multimedia on digital whiteboards or use interactive simulations to understand complex scientific causal relations. However, both teachers and students have to deal with various challenges: When is a lesson that is conducted with the help of digital media a good lesson? How do I learn properly by using a simulation? How do I prevent being distracted or disoriented by the vast amount of information available on the internet?