Enhancing Understanding of Complex Systems through Analogy-Based Video Scenarios

Abstract

Biological education grapples with the challenge of teaching intricate systems, particularly the complex human immune system. Existing teaching methods often fall short of conveying these complexities effectively. Analogies and metaphors have proven successful in teaching complex biological systems across educational levels. We developed video scenarios connecting a wound-healing phenomenon with a real-life analogy, incorporating reflection spot activities for students to map elements based on structure, function, and behavior. Our study with high school students revealed significant improvements in their understanding of the wound-healing phenomenon through analogy mapping and reasoning. The study's contribution lies in an effective pedagogical and technological design for complex biological phenomena using analogies to enhance students' understanding of complex biological systems.