This project investigates how to transform Chemistry at beginner level in the Danish high school (stx). The transformation of traditional Chemistry education into “Chemistry 2.0” enhances general education through science competences such as the ability to work in groups, focusing on authentic problems and understanding the role of science in modern society.
The project is built on a social constructivistic point of view, inspired by Dewey, Kolb, Illeris, Wenger and Luhmann. The high school generation is characterized in terms of Digital Natives, Millenials and Visitors/Residents, and principles for Didactics 2.0 are drawn up.
The didactic design of Chemistry 2.0 is based on communities of practice, in which the students create their own didactic design, using the frames set by the teacher’s design. The focus in the groups is reification (working with web 2.0-products) and negotiation of meaning. The teacher’s role is helping when needed, instead of lecturing in front of the class.
The design of Chemistry 2.0 is in line with the general development in the Danish high school system, but bureaucratic rules about student’s schedules and teacher’s account of different kinds of work time is making the implementation more difficult than it could be. Therefore suggestions to make this easier are made.