Abstract
The new challenges to education due to digital media require a theoretical framework that takes into account principles and specifics of digital media. This is the aim of this paper. It will first outline what the specifics of digital media are and then analyse whether, how and in which contexts they are taken up by media education. To this end, different perspectives of media education will be analysed: perspectives on media competence, media education and media literacy. Building on the conclusion to be drawn that the technological foundations and specific challenges of digital media have so far been given little consideration in educational concepts, the second section elaborates the educational relevance and potential of such a perspective in order to argue as a consequence on the meanings of "digital media literacy" and the need for a concept of "digital media education" specifically geared to digital media.
