Is constructivism risky? Social anxiety, classroom participation, competitive game play and constructivist preferences in teacher development

Constructivism in practice is a challenging endeavor that invites teachers and students to engage in problems that elicit uncertainty. This article investigates the relationship between preferences for constructivist approaches and other classroom behaviors that influence the development of future teachers. The theoretical premise for this relationship is that preferences for constructivist activities are associated with other behaviors that are characterized as social risks. Preservice teachers who are ‘risk averse’ may engage in behaviors that perpetuate their conservatism, leaving them ill prepared for current developments in educational reform. In addition to proposing this unique theoretical question, evidence is presented showing that social risk aversion is behaviorally pervasive, influencing preservice teachers’ willingness to participate in classroom discussions, their behavior in a socially competitive game and their natural preference for inquiry‐based mathematics problems. Given this pervasiveness, teachers who are ‘shy’ of contemporary educational reform may unknowingly socially insulate themselves against it. Support strategies are suggested along with appropriate directions for future research and reflection by teacher educators.