Should high-school biology teachers relate to students’ religious faith when teaching evolution? The perspective of Jewish teachers

Abstract

ABSTRACT Evolution is one of the most controversial scientific issues worldwide, mainly because of the presumed conflict with religion, which also arises in school biology classes. Here, we surveyed biology teachers from different Jewish sectors in Israel about their experiences teaching evolution and their perspective on relating to students’ religious faith. Information was collected using an online questionnaire that was answered by 97 teachers, and three focus groups of 9 teachers. Half of the teachers reported encountering student religious-based opposition, in traditional/religious schools more than in secular ones. The teachers indicated that students’ religious faith may hinder their understanding of evolution, while teachers’ own perception of the conflict influenced their attitude. Most of the teachers indicated their willingness to relate to their students’ religious faith in class, mainly because of the importance of relating to students’ inner world. Our research adds to the global interest in evolution education by shedding light on this topic in a Jewish population, which has been little studied. In addition, the study emphasises the importance of relating to teachers’ experiences and perspective in the discussion on whether to relate to students’ religious faith during science class, because teachers are the mediators of science to future citizens.