• Molecool – a Netd@ys Europe-project
  
• Nordic and European cooperation
  
• The Norwegian Board of Education
  
• Experiences from Jørpeland in Norway
  
• Molecool as multi subject education

Molecool used as a multi subject educational concept

Introduction/the basis for the concept

Shortly after Molecool – an internet chemistry game – was launched in the fall of 1999, the pupils and teachers of Samfundet junior secondary school in Norway started using it. One of the reasons was that we had heard trough our cooperation with the Federation of Norwegian Process Industries that Molecool was being developed. We were anxious to play the game, and when we had it installed the pupils were soon motivated. They really enjoyed playing the game.

When we first started using Molecool, it was primarily the pupils in the junior secondary school that played the game in class. Several pupils having an internet connection at home also expressed a wish for playing Molecool during their leisure time. We therefore installed Molecool into the pupil’s private computers, and soon the game was played regularly outside of school too. During the spring semester the pupils in the 9th grade arranged a tournament where all the pupils in junior secondary participated. Even pupils in the lower classes showed their interest. Within a short period of time they mastered the game technicalities. This has also been of great importance when Molecool has been introduced to other classes.

The project

The multi subject educational concept presented underneath was accomplished in the 8th grade during the spring semester of 2001. In the natural science- and environment subjects Molecool was introduced in topics of chemistry that belong in the 9th and 10th grades.

The preliminary course

The concept started with a preliminary course where the pupils were given knowledge of the game and the aspects of chemistry that are the issues of the game. After a short joint presentation of Molecool, the pupils started playing against each other. It didn’t take long before everyone mastered the game technicalities, but the pupils soon realized that they lacked sufficient chemistry knowledge and were therefore eager to learn more.

During the preliminary course we arranged a constant mix of playing Molecool, executing experiments to illustrate the chemistry in the game and working with theoretical studies of the subjects in the game. We especially emphasized the chemistry of the carbon and simple gases. These subjects were also treated in social studies and in math.

In the social studies we looked at the importance of oil and gas for our close environment, living in Rogaland , (Norway’s major oil county) and for Norway. The environmental aspect of oil drilling, production and consumption of oil and gas were emphasized.

In math we used the formulas of relevant molecules to build an understanding of the use of letters and brackets in science and math. By the use of spreadsheets the system behind alkane-,alkene- and alkyne was studied. This was also presented graphically using spreadsheets.

For the preliminary course the following hours were spent:

Brainstorming

After the preliminary course the class did some brainstorming. Based on the results of this we prepared assignments that the pupils could choose from. The class had also received an invitation to the NKUL - a Norwegian Conference for Education and Learning - in the spring of 2001. Here they were to present the Molecool educational concept. This probably made an influence on the pupil’s choice of project assignments. The following tasks were executed:

1. PowerPoint-presentation of the concept in cooperation with other project groups
2. Film about the concept in cooperation with other project groups
3. Experiments with substances that appear in Molecool
4. The making of models in different materials of atoms and molecules
5. Presentation of the Molecool game on a bulletin board and through models
6. Making music and songs about Molecool and presenting this on video
7. Carry out a poll about Molecool and present the results.

Working with the project assignments

The pupils spent about 15 classes working on the project assignments. Some of the work was presented/displayed at the NKUL conference in May 2001. Parts of the educational concept were also presented during an event at our school in the spring of 2001.

For the project assignments the following hours were spent:

The aim of the educational concept and the project assignments

• To motivate and give the pupils knowledge about the importance of science in our daily lives
• Turn atoms and molecules into an exciting and understandable subject.
• Use IT and other theoretical subjects in this work
• Present the results using video, computer technology, arts/woodwork etc. and music
• Teach the pupils how to cooperate within the class and with other pupils outside the class.