*2.2.6. Adaptation (uncertainty, flexibility, and risk-taking)*

## *As I get older, I realize that I do not want to subscribe to anyway one form of thinking.*

In my study, participants expressed adaptation mainly regarding willingness to take risks, handle or even invite uncertainty, and flexibility. Teachers who hack in school expressed tolerance of uncertainty in many occasions and provided examples that demonstrate it. A teacher who was exploring PBL said, "I love the idea,…everything about it. But there's nothing out there that really shows me what to do." In an ever-changing world, those teachers embraced the understanding that today's methods might be not relevant tomorrow and "that's OK." Participants discussed flexibility in two ways, first referring to the amount of freedom schools give teachers in deciding what and how they teach and second, addressing their ability to react to changing situations and conditions. The teachers were not expecting linear changes and welcomed the process itself. One teacher shared, "It's like you plant this little seed….I don't give tests, nothing happens. The sky hasn't fallen, kids are happy."

Darling-Hammond and Bransford also emphasized that teachers should be prepared to become "adaptive experts" who develop skills and knowledge continuously [27]. Khan referred to embracing uncertainty as the constant adaptation and acceptance that is the nature of teaching and learning today [42]. Indeed, to create change, one should avoid the status quo and "shake" the system [42, 43].

Teacher education programs should communicate to students that this uncertainty is part of the nature of the profession. Teachers work with individuals; no days will look the same and no lessons can be taught exactly as planned. Understanding this can liberate new teachers and support them in adopting a hacker identity.

Seven of eight participants spontaneously brought up the subject of taking risks, indicating they perceive this to be a central issue. One participant explained, "A lot of people I have interacted with feel worried about like, 'What if I do something wrong?' where[as] I definitely grew up thinking you just try it and if it doesn't work, you try something else. You have to actually be quite confident in your ability to fail at things." Another participant added that to be an innovator, "you have to be willing to fail in public." This willingness to admit failure dominated, as most (*n* = 6) participants described their own failures.

The risk-taking concept and behavior was also well connected in the results to themes of pedagogy, innovation, and failure, making it an important characteristic of being an educational hacker. In addition to a personal inclination toward taking risks, this behavior seemed connected with experience and professional confidence. Risk-taking was not traditionally considered a quality of good teachers; nevertheless, it dominates in theories of change [44]. Robinson shared the story of Suzan Jeffers, who wrote the book, *Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway*, showing that fear can prevent people from entering a situation in which they feel threatened; [15] thus, they lose a possible learning experience [45]. Mezirow referred to similar emotions and claimed the first phase of a learning process is a *disorienting dilemma* [46].

Teacher education programs should expose student teachers to the benefits of risk-taking and create learning opportunities that require them to experience and practice taking risks. Analyzing success and failure stories, as done in business schools, can provide additional exposure. Dealing with failure is hard. It requires reflection skills and a trusting environment but, if done properly, can support teachers' growth and perceptions of themselves as risk-takers.

Clearly, taking pedagogical risks within the protected environment of higher education or the practicum is beneficial, but stimulating risk-taking comes with its own risks and should be implemented with forethought and restraint. For example, it may encourage teachers who do not have the required knowledge to take risks just for the sake of trying or innovating [47].
