Barriers to implementing pedagogical change: The role of teachers' perceptions of risk

•Risk-taking is an inherent aspect of educational change.•Perceptions of risk can inhibit teacher engagement in new pedagogical practices.•Fear of public failure and losing control influence teachers' perceptions of risk.•Supporting risk-taking in professional learning for educational change is important.

This research uses an analytical framework of risk to better understand why professional learning initiatives intended to bring about change in teaching practice often fail. Risk-taking is an inherent part of the uncertainty involved in educational change and this study of teachers in professional learning reveals that, if the level of risk is perceived to be too high, teachers will not engage in the pedagogical practices promoted. Implications of this research include the importance of developing capacity to identify risks, reducing the level of perceived risk, and providing a supportive environment in which teachers feel empowered to take risks.