Enhancing Systemic Understanding of Complex Biological Phenomena through SBF Analogical Stories

Abstract

Understanding complex biological systems requires learners to reason about how structures interact dynamically to achieve functional outcomes. Yet students often describe biological processes in superficially overlooking the causal mechanism and interdependencies that define systemic behavior. The Structure–Behavior–Function (SBF) framework offers a powerful lens for supporting such reasoning by making visible the roles of system components, their interactions, and purposes. This dissertation investigates how SBF based analogical stories accessible across mobile and classroom environments can foster systemic reasoning in biology education. This research will be done in three different phases, phase 1 focuses on design and development of SBF based systemic analogical stories as an intervention and study how these supports students SBF reasoning compared to piecemeal analogies. Phase 2 focuses on training teachers for co-designing with AI guidelines to develop SBF based systemic analogies and Phase 3 implements these teacher-developed digital analogies in authentic classroom settings, examining technology integration and ubiquitous learning opportunities.