Uncertainty by design: pedagogical approaches for learning to navigate uncertainty in entrepreneurship education

Purpose This study explores how educators design learning experiences to help students manage uncertainty in entrepreneurship education. It aims to identify the pedagogical strategies used to teach uncertainty, including the challenges faced by educators, and analyze students' learning processes when confronted with uncertainty. Design/methodology/approach This study uses semi-structured interviews with experienced entrepreneurship educators. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed using thematic analysis. Findings The study identifies the teaching approaches and resources utilized by educators, along with associated challenges. It also identified how educators perceived students' reactions to such learning experiences, ranging from non-adaptive responses to action-oriented strategies and coping mechanisms. The study highlights how educational practices can simulate real-world uncertainties and enhance students' preparedness to navigate them. Practical implications Programs across various disciplines can enhance their pedagogy by integrating principles from entrepreneurship education's approach to uncertainty, with the design of more fluid learning environments that promote active student-centered learning, educators' scaffolding, and the real world as a field of experimentation. Originality/value The study offers significant implications for education by critically examining traditional pedagogical approaches that convey structure and safety, contrasting them with the need to prepare students for managing uncertainty. It provides valuable insights from entrepreneurship education and pedagogical theories, stimulating both educational practice and research on how to teach uncertainty.