The Zoom Map: Explaining Complex Biological Phenomena by Drawing Connections Between and in Levels of Organization

Understanding and explaining complex biological phenomena such as the results of climate change or evolution requires students to think systemically. Systems thinking, which relates concepts to the right level of organization and adequately interrelates concepts across levels of organization, is difficult for students. Teachers can and should encourage learners to consider levels of organization in their effort to explain biological phenomena. However, in order to give learners feedback and support the learning process, teachers and students need a tool to reflect on levels of organization. Based on learning strategies like yo-yo-learning and concept-mapping, we propose a new graphic organizer, the zoom map. The zoom map encourages learners to make levels of organization and the interrelation of system elements explicit. We draw on proof of concept teaching experiments to elaborate on how to use the zoom map as a tool for both students and teachers. After learning with the zoom map, students considered more of the relevant levels, and beyond that, the students considered lower levels of organization. Our results indicate that the zoom map fosters explanations across the levels of organization.