#384: Exploring Complex Systems through Multiple External Representations: High School Students’ Exploration of the Mechanobiology of Venus Fly Traps

Complex systems thinking is a critical yet underrepresented competency in high school STEM education. This study investigates how students developed systems understanding through a two-day mechanobiology unit on the Venus flytrap, integrating multiple external representations (MERs). Using surveys and interviews, we analyzed how students engaged with complex system characteristics and transferred these ideas to other systems. Findings show that students developed cross-scale explanations and applied systems thinking beyond the learning context. Results underscore the effectiveness of MERs to scaffold reasoning across micro- and macro-levels and make abstract system properties tangible. This study informs the design of MER-based learning environments for STEM-integrated education.