Whether, what, and how should we discuss evolution and faith in biology classes? insights from semi-structured interviews and a Delphi study

This study explores the challenges of teaching evolution in the context of religious beliefs. The primary objective was to understand the perspectives of biology education experts on discussing evolution and faith in biology classes, and to provide culturally responsive solutions to the challenges encountered by students and educators. Participants included science education experts from diverse ethnic backgrounds in Israel. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and a Delphi study. We identified three key questions regarding the discussion of evolution and faith in biology classes: Should we discuss it? What should we discuss? How should we implement such discussions? There was no consensus on how to conduct these discussions, except for the suggestion to address the evolution-faith conflict through teaching the Nature of Science (NOS). This highlights the importance of culturally responsive teaching in diverse educational settings. Several key issues related to the evolution-faith controversy can be addressed without prioritising one perspective over the other. Support for the discussions was grounded in their educational significance, while opposition stemmed from concerns about their practical implementation. Therefore, it is recommended that these topics be included in teacher professional development (PD) programmes to prepare educators for any related questions that may arise in class.