Abstract
Currently, the discussion about the role of the Internet in civic education is receiving new impetus through the development of so-called Web 2.0 technologies, which, compared to Web 1.0, offer a considerably greater potential for shaping political content and processes and for participation, but also open up new possibilities for communication and networking. This study examines the extent to which the internet and Web 2.0 in particular are capable of fulfilling the hopes placed in the technology. First, the potentials that Web 2.0 could offer for civic education in terms of its didactic design are explored. Then, on the basis of an analysis of the Internet offerings of traditional providers of civic education (federal and state centres for civic education, political foundations) as well as Internet portals in the field of civic education, it will be determined how widespread Web 2.0 offerings currently are. Finally, on the basis of a user survey of almost 300 participants of virtual political education offerings of a political foundation, the question is pursued as to how Web 2.0 offerings in political education work are assessed from the user's point of view.
