By definition, models are simplified representations of systems or processes, and this simplification is an instructional choice to aid student understanding, but what happens when the simplicity ends up confounding student understanding? We must take care that the simplifications do not occur in features of a model that would lend themselves to perpetuating common misconceptions. Here we make the case for an instance where increasing complexity, specifically by adding additional homologs during a meiosis modeling activity, may actually be the key to clearing up confusion and gaining a deeper understanding. In many cases we see students attempting to memorize the model, rather than understand the process(es) the model represents. Disrupting the commonly used model they’ve often memorized—in this case by adding a third chromosome pair—reveals to students and instructor whether the students understand the process of meiosis, or are simply repeating a model they’ve memorized by rote.
Traphagen et al. (Sun,) studied this question.