How can digital education in North Rhine-Westphalia be designed in a practice-oriented, participatory, and sustainable way? And how do we meet the challenges posed by artificial intelligence and disinformation? Answers to these questions are at the heart of the barcamp “Digitalwegweiser NRW – Knowledge that connects”, which will take place on 16 September 2026 at the Cologne Adult Education Center (VHS Cologne).
The event is aimed at everyone who supports adults (aged 16 and over) in the safe, reflective, and creative use of digital media – whether in educational institutions, libraries, community centres, as media trainers, or in voluntary work. In the open barcamp format, participants actively shape the programme, contribute their own topics, and exchange experiences and best practices on an equal footing.
The barcamp is complemented by a marketplace of opportunities, learning stations, and lightning talks. Here, digital learning offerings can be tested, regional initiatives discovered, and new impulses gained for one’s own educational work. A particular focus this year is on the topics of artificial intelligence and disinformation.
At a glance:
- What? Barcamp “Digitalwegweiser NRW – Knowledge that connects”
- When? 16 September 2026, 10:00–16:00
- Where? Cologne Adult Education Center (VHS Cologne)
- What is it about? Digitalization and media education with a special focus on artificial intelligence and disinformation
- What can participants expect? Open exchange, networking, marketplace of opportunities, learning stations, lightning talks, and numerous impulses for professional and voluntary educational work.
Registration: https://app.vhs-nrw.de/forms/p/DigitalwegweiserNRW16092026
Programme
- From 09:00 – Arrival, registration, networking
- 10:00 – Welcome and introduction to “Digitalwegweiser NRW”
- 10:20 – “Democracy needs informed citizens: How artificial intelligence can support journalists and readers” – lightning talk by Prof. Dr.-Ing. Hendrik Heuer (Center for Advanced Internet Studies) followed by a Q&A session
- 11:50 – Session planning | Submit or view session ideas
- 11:10 – Coffee break | Learning stations | Marketplace of opportunities
- 11:30 – Sessions I
- 12:30 – Who are we and how many? – Active getting to know each other and networking
- 13:00 – Lunch break | Learning stations | Marketplace of opportunities
- 14:00 – Sessions II
- 15:00 – Coffee break | Learning stations | Marketplace of opportunities
- 15:15 – Results from the sessions
- 15:30 – Outlook, evaluation, closing
- 16:00 – End
Anyone who does not want to miss news about Digitalwegweiser NRW can also subscribe to the email distribution list:
https://app.vhs-nrw.de/forms/p/digitalwegweiser-nrw-emailverteiler
Organisers
“Digitalwegweiser NRW” is a joint initiative of the Medienkompetenz_LAB – a network of actors in the field of digital and media education in North Rhine-Westphalia who are committed to strengthening digital and media literacy for all people in the state. The Center for Advanced Internet Studies and the Department for Digital Society and Media Literacy of the Staatskanzlei Nordrhein-Westfalen jointly initiated Medienkompetenz_LAB. The “Digitalwegweiser NRW” programme is funded by the State Chancellery of North Rhine-Westphalia.
The following organizations and initiatives are involved in the “Digitalwegweiser NRW”:
BG 3000 | Center for Advanced Internet Studies (CAIS) | Deutsches Institut für Erwachsenenbildung (DIE) | Die Verbraucherinitiative e. V. | #DigitalCheck NRW | GMK – Gesellschaft für Medienpädagogik und Kommunikationskultur | Evangelische Erwachsenen- und Familienbildung NRW Westfalen und Lippe e. V. | Evangelisches Erwachsenenbildungswerk Niederrhein (eeb) | Fachstelle für Jugendmedienkultur NRW | Grimme Institut | Gütesiegelverbund Weiterbildung | Landesanstalt für Medien NRW | Landesverband der Volkshochschulen von NRW e. V. [Lead] | Lokale Medienarbeit NRW | Staatskanzlei NRW | Supportstelle Weiterbildung der QUA-LiS NRW | Verbraucherzentrale NRW | wb-web