“Spotlight on profs”: Prof. Dr. Ullrich Dittler of Furtwangen University on e-learning and stargazing
What are the best ways to convey knowledge? Which media and teaching models are best suited for this? These are the questions that occupy Prof. Dr. Ullrich Dittler, who teaches “E-Learning” and “Media Psychology,” among other subjects, as a professor of Interactive Media at Furtwangen University (HFU). “My enthusiasm for the topic of knowledge began during my studies in education, with a focus on psychology and sociology. I first became involved in the development of e-learning during a research project at the University of Munich in cooperation with a major Munich-based bank,” recalls Dittler.
At the time, Dittler was studying in the Bavarian capital and, in addition to working as a student assistant on the collaborative project, also had a part-time job at the Entertainment Software Self-Regulation Body (USK). “Once a month, I flew from Munich to Berlin and spent an entire day evaluating video games together with other media educators. The focus was on determining which age ratings individual titles should receive. For my master’s thesis, I then also focused on computer games; it just made sense because, as an educator, I wanted to engage more with modern media than with historical pedagogy,” Dittler explains. He chose the title “Software Instead of Teddy Bears” for his thesis and explored whether elements from video games are also suitable for knowledge transfer and can be adapted into educational programs. “Today, we use the term ‘gamification’ for this; back then, the topic was so new that a publisher approached me about publishing it,” Dittler reports. This led to his first book, with the second following shortly thereafter: “During my time at the USK, I regularly wrote articles about computer games and youth protection; there were so many of them that they were also published as a book. I was also active on the board of the Society for Media in Science and was jointly responsible for many years for its book series, which deals with findings in the ever-growing field of e-learning,” says Dittler. The fact that this book series remains a success to this day is evident from the bookshelf behind the professor, where dozens of volumes are lined up.
After completing his studies, Dittler headed the e-learning department at the bank in Munich. “My scope of work expanded when two banks merged and we had to provide training and professional development for up to 20,000 bank employees. That couldn’t all take place in seminar hotels and training rooms. To meet this immense training need, my department developed various computer-based learning applications,” says Dittler. “As part of this work, I also completed the online course ‘Expert in New Learning Technologies’ at what was then the HFU’s Tele-Academy. Part of this continuing education programme also included a visit to the campus in the Black Forest. That was my first point of contact with Furtwangen and the university.”
Dittler was therefore interested when, in 2000, he discovered the position as professor of interactive media at the HFU. “I was already familiar with Furtwangen, and the move from a financial services provider to the university offered me many new opportunities. But the fundamental question − ‘How can knowledge be conveyed most effectively?’ − remained the same,” explains Dittler.
For a long time, Dittler was involved in managing the HFU Information and Media Center alongside his teaching duties; during the COVID-19 pandemic, he took over the newly established Coordination Office for Digital Teaching and Learning (KDLL). “Due to the pandemic, university teaching had to go digital practically overnight − all instructors had to switch all courses for all students to digital instruction. That was a major challenge that could only be overcome because so many staff members were deeply committed,” he recalls. He now heads the Center for Teaching and Learning (ZLL). “At the ZLL, we focus on how to improve knowledge transfer at HFU and how to support faculty and students in this process.”
While Dittler always keeps an eye on the future as a scientist, his hobby takes him thousands of years into the past. He even has his own observatory in his backyard for astrophotography. “In Furtwangen, we have little light pollution and are also located at a very high altitude − ideal conditions for astrophotography. It puts everything into a new perspective when you realise that the light you’re seeing right now has been traveling for thousands of years. Deep-sky photography may be the pinnacle of astrophotography, but I also enjoy photographing the sun at different wavelengths. That’s much faster than deep-sky photography, which usually takes several hours. You can take beautiful shots during your lunch break that document the sun’s daily changing appearance,” Dittler enthuses. Dittler also shares his specialised knowledge with interested students in the elective module on astrophotography. He has also been publishing articles on astrophotography and astrophotography equipment in a specialised journal for over 20 years. Unsurprisingly, he says, “A few years ago, I compiled those numerous articles into a book that the publisher describes as ‘the most comprehensive German-language work on astrophotography’ − it’s quite a tome.”
Professor Dittler is now the author and editor of 26 books on various aspects of e-learning, higher education pedagogy, media psychology, as well as astrophotography and solar photography. His latest work explores the impact of artificial intelligence on higher education development; another book is in the final stages and will be published at the end of the summer.
“I’m constantly grappling with the question of how to convey knowledge to specific target groups in a contemporary way. It’s important to keep re-examining the topic, because even technology that’s just five years old can seem ancient to young people,” explains Dittler. The media expert is therefore particularly pleased that, since early 2025, the office for “The Blended Learning” has been based at Furtwangen University. In this project, HFU coordinates flexible, new learning and degree programme formats at nine universities throughout Baden-Württemberg. “Together with Aalen University, we offer the Human-Centered Design blended learning degree programme within this framework. He has also been publishing articles on astrophotography and astrophotography equipment in a specialised journal for over 20 years. Unsurprisingly, he says, “A few years ago, I compiled those numerous articles into a book that the publisher describes as ‘the most comprehensive German-language work on astrophotography’ − it’s quite a tome.” “The challenge here is to keep pace with the technological trends shaping our target audience’s everyday lives − trends that we cannot influence ourselves, but to which we can respond as needed in order to use them to support knowledge transfer,” Dittler summarises. He is eager to continue exploring this exciting development − he is likely already planning his next book on the subject.
Spotlight on profs:
In this series, we introduce the distinguished scholars who teach and conduct research at Furtwangen University. As a university of applied sciences, Furtwangen University’s professors bring many years of practical experience to their work. We present these fascinating personal and professional stories in no particular order.