Student Agency Research Articles

Enrichment in colleges after COVID: spaces for agency and/or cultural reproduction

ABSTRACT A longitudinal study of enrichment across post-16 colleges in England and Wales illustrates the possibilities and limitations of colleges’ societal and cultural impact. Over a four-year study, these activities outside subject curricula, widely intended to compensate for the mobilisation of cultural capital by students in privileged settings, increased in salience whilst responding to post-pandemic crises; but differed across settings in their aims and organisation, including the agency afforded to staff and students. This paper explores these differences, in the context of a longstanding theorisation of colleges as sites of social reproduction interruptible only outside the technical sphere, whilst drawing on contemporary understandings of structure, agency and stratification. Whilst analysis of survey and case study data suggests broad association of general education spaces with agentic enrichment practices, alongside vocational enrichment overlapping technical curricula or generic ‘support’, we suggest that contestation over the aims and content of enrichment takes place in the context of a hierarchical terrain of post-16 institutions and broader societal and policy developments unfolding over time. We argue that authentic and socially just enrichment requires its extension to the interests and agency of students across educational pathways, in contradistinction to the currently deepening stratification of post-16 education in England.

Beyond Digital Literacy: Investigating Threshold Concepts to Foster Engagement with Digital Life in Technical Communication Pedagogy

ABSTRACT As digital technologies rapidly evolve, updating and enhancing models of digital literacy pedagogy in technical and professional communication (TPC) becomes more urgent. In this article, we use “digital life” to conceptualize the ever-changing ways of knowing and being in postinternet society. Using collaborative autoethnography, we investigate features of threshold concepts in TPC pedagogy that may support models of digital literacy that are resistant to tools-based definitions, foster student agency, and facilitate accessibility, equity, and justice.

Integrating open education practices with data analysis of open science in an undergraduate course.

The open science movement produces vast quantities of openly published data connected to journal articles, creating an enormous resource for educators to engage students in current topics and analyses. However, educators face challenges using these materials to meet course objectives. I present a case study using open science (published articles and corresponding datasets) and open educational practices in a capstone course. While engaging in current topics of conservation, students trace connections in the research process, learn statistical analyses, and recreate analyses using the programming language R. I assessed the presence of best practices in open articles and datasets, examined student selection in the open grading policy, surveyed students on their perceived learning gains, and conducted a thematic analysis on student reflections. First, articles and datasets met just over half of the assessed fairness practices, which increased with the publication date. There was a marginal difference in how assessment categories were weighted by students, with reflections highlighting appreciation for student agency. In course content, students reported the greatest learning gains in describing variables, while collaborative activities (e.g., interacting with peers and instructor) were the most effective support. The most effective tasks to facilitate these learning gains included coding exercises and team-led assignments. Autocoding of student reflections identified 16 themes, and positive sentiments were written nearly 4x more often than negative sentiments. Students positively reflected on their growth in statistical analyses, and negative sentiments focused on how limited prior experience with statistics and coding made them feel nervous. As a group, we encountered several challenges and opportunities in using open science materials. I present key recommendations, based on student experiences, for scientists to consider when publishing open data to provide additional educational benefits to the open science community.

2022 개정 교육과정에 나타난 ‘주체성’의 재개념화

Purpose: This study aims to reinterpret the concept of agency that appeared in the 2022 revised curriculum, and to clarify that teacher agency and student agency are compatible by identifying the relationship between teacher agency and student agency. Methods: In this study, subject analysis is conducted focusing on literature review in order to re-conceptualize the agency revealed in the 2022 revised curriculum and the OECD Education 2030 project. Accordingly, in the light of Palmer's educational philosophy, the concept and establishment requirements of agency are defined to explore the relationship between teacher agency and student agency. Results: As a result of this study, it was confirmed that agency was established from a holistic self-understanding. However, according to Palmer's educational philosophy, teachers' holistic self- understanding for the realization of teacher agency can have a positive effect on students' holistic self-understanding for the realization of student agency because teachers' self-understanding is closely related to students' self-understanding through educational situations. Conclusion: Accordingly, it is suggested as the conclusion of this study that teacher agency and student agency are not a relationship that avoids each other, but rather can increase student agency through teacher agency.

학생 주도성 기반 교육과정 개발에 관한 실행연구

The purpose of this study is to explore how elementary schools operate a student agency based curriculum through the implementation of the Learning Compass program. Student agency is attracting attention as a value that allows students to actively respond to the uncertainty, complexity, and rapid change that humanity may experience in future society. Recently, research on student agency has been actively conducted in Korea, but there is a lack of action research that includes efforts to foster student agency within the elementary school curriculum. This study observed how education to improve student agency, which is attracting attention during the entry into the future society and curriculum transition, is developed and applied to the elementary school curriculum. Within this, the activities and changes shown by teachers and students were analyzed through teacher action research. As a result, 'teacher agency' that led to the development of the Learning Compass program, 'teaching innovation' represented by one classroom with two teachers and student-led curriculum evaluation, ‘Innovation in teaching and learning methods’ represented by waiting for immersion and creating chunks of thought, The form of ‘class reflection’, represented by the discovery of the power of deliberation, was found in the student agency based curriculum.

Multimodal English Language Pedagogy and Social Justice: A Sociohistorical Perspective from South Korea

This research investigates English language education in South Korea, situated within the broader sociohistorical and global influences that shape the education system. The theory-based study sets out to critique the prevailing grammar-intensive and rote learning methodologies, proposing instead a pedagogical paradigm that foregrounds holistic, inclusive practices and purpose for student agency. By employing a qualitative analysis, it explores multimodality while endorsing the fusion of interdisciplinary insights to enhance both the learning process and students' communicative competencies. Findings underscore the pivotal role of educators in fostering significant pedagogical shifts, necessitating deep introspection and an informed grasp of sociohistorical and cultural contexts. The research reveals a need for an approach to learning that harmonises linguistic skills with broad sociocultural understanding, advocating for a teaching model that seamlessly integrates historical consciousness, creativity and innovative strategies, and a commitment to principles of social justice. The significance of this study lies in its potential to influence policy and practice, encouraging a move towards more engaged, reflective and socially responsible English language instruction within the region.

An Artist/Researcher Model for Participatory Action Research in Transdisciplinary Learning Contexts

Participatory action research and the arts are tools to bridge power divides found in disciplinary learning where many students have traditionally been excluded (e.g., STEM). In this study, we apply an Artist/Researcher model as a way of positioning individuals within a social context, anchoring their identities around shared values and epistemic practices. Situated in four after-school projects with Chicago Arts Partnerships in Education, we explore how an Artist/Researcher model that is rooted in constructionism can lead to new ways of considering how artwork itself might enhance the aims and processes of participatory action research. We find that the Artist/Researcher model supports transdisciplinary learning in ways that foreground student agency and social dialogue in community: through materials and design choices; representing self as expert, leader, and creator; co-opting activities and transforming participation; and engaging with art and science as tools for social change. This study has implications for applying constructionism to participatory action research in out-of-school settings and for designing interdisciplinary or transdisciplinary learning experiences. 

English academic writing for academic purposes and beyond: the experiences of undergraduate students in Hong Kong

ABSTRACT Drawing on an academic literacies approach to understand writing as a social practice, this paper explores the experiences of how undergraduate students make sense of and engage with English academic writing conventions in relation to their writing purposes. We traced the writing process of 12 undergraduate students in Hong Kong over the course of two semesters and invited them to talk over their texts at three different stages of their writing process. Our findings reveal the existence of a language-content dichotomy in which language courses tend to value English standardisation and academic style conventions while subject courses value argumentation in the assignments. A majority of students accommodated writing conventions for the achievement of good grades. This form of purpose, however, limits student agency. Designing academic assignments without the acknowledgment of wider non-academic relevance to students’ lives only reinforces a performance-oriented culture and alienates students from agentive learning. We suggest a pedagogical space for academic writing that can extend beyond academic conventions, allowing students to reflect on its social relevance. Creating a space for this exploration would foster an inclusive and empowering learning environment that facilitates student agency in academic language development and meaningful engagement with real-life issues.

Rethinking student agency through ‘material agency’ in the context of learning in nature

Student agency theorising traditionally positions individuals as sovereign and under-theorises the role non-human material elements play in enacting agency. We recognise the role of the material but to honour our research participants and context we adopt an asymmetrical view of the agency of the material non-human in relation to the human in co-shaping agency. We apply this view to students learning in nature, and data from a developmental evaluation of visitor experience of an outdoor learning centre. Student and teacher participants took photographs representing their connection to nature on two occasions. Intrigued by the role the camera, the site and its material elements played in participants’ photographs, and photo-elicitation interviews, we conceptualised the relationships at work as joint human/non-human material collaborations. We argue educators’ recognition of the material agency of settings can assist them in understanding students’ agentic positioning within the political imperative of connecting humans to nature as curriculum.

The Kids Aren't Alright: Climate Education in a Trauma-Laden World

ABSTRACT Nearly every student today is coming into informal education programs with some form of trauma. This is especially true as we examine the long-lasting impacts of climate change, the pandemic, and identity-based prejudice on children. In response, the Monterey Bay Aquarium has undertaken a transformative journey in its education programs. This paper explores our evolving approaches, centered in trauma-informed education, maker-centered agency, and equity-based practices. We outline some of our trauma-informed practices, including hiring a full-time school counselor and integrating wellness practices into programming. We share our journey to maker-centered education, with the goal of building agency and resilience in students as they tackle environmental challenges. We describe steps we’ve taken toward equity-based practices, such as revamping our hiring practices and building culturally relevant pedagogies. Reflecting on this journey, we emphasize the ongoing nature of this work and invite collaborators to envision and co-create a more just and sustainable future.

Implementing learning analytics interventions to support student agency in knowledge building

ABSTRACT Research and development of Learning Analytics (LA) have created new ways to support students’ learning. However, our understanding of teachers’ roles when implementing LA in classroom practices remains nascent. This study investigates how teachers can implement LA to support students’ agency in directing their own inquiry, when engaging in a digital pedagogy approach known as Knowledge Building (KB) on an online platform called Knowledge Forum (KF). Together with a teacher experienced in KB and KF, we co-constructed interventions anchored on two easy-to-use LA tools in KF, the Scaffold Tracker and Word Cloud. These LA interventions were enacted with a Grade 5 class of 18 students and another Grade 6 class of 18 students. Three teacher roles were identified: detecting behaviour unproductive to collaboration, mediating between LA and student self-assessment, and framing student-generated lines of inquiry in actionable ways. We coded KF notes for the discourse moves they reflected and found that after the teacher implemented the LA interventions, notes that sustained inquiry increased sharply with students’ focus shifting from individual to collective knowledge and from superficial explanations to deep understandings. We discuss the implications of these findings on the development of ways to bridge LA research and practice.

Employing Restorative Wellness to Build Student Agency and Personal Voice/Choice

I use the term restorative wellness practices as a concept associated with life application strategies and procedures that increase or return wellness to individuals or groups, some of whom have lost or never experienced this due to a lack of opportunities and resources. At the college, where I teach dance, fitness, and health courses, it has become my passion and commitment to develop the best wellness practices to create a connective culture for students, faculty, and staff by holding a successful nurturing space to strive academically and personally. This is achieved through community-based holistic activities that emphasize interpersonal skills, physical embodiment, nutrition, and cultural competence. In the heutagogical approach, one requires safe spaces to explore, question, and practice various concepts, and perspectives that involve a diverse group of peers and educators. My aim is to share this approach with dance educators and others who might find this practice useful in their teaching.

Vocational Identity Development and Agency of Chinese College Students: Effects of Filial Piety and Implications in Career Education

Balancing family obligations and personal vocational aspirations is vital for college students as stepping into adulthood. By integrating the indigenous psychological and personal-social perspectives, this review article discussed theoretical perspectives and empirical studies on the role of agency and the effects of Filial Piety in college students' vocational identity development. Existing studies and theoretical perspectives indicated that Filial Piety, the core Chinese value of parent-child interaction, may influence college students' vocational identity by shaping specific agentic capacities and the psychological foundation of agency development. This article also reviewed related educational models and effectiveness studies for applications in career education. In conclusion, this article suggested future studies to elaborate on the effects of filial piety on college students' vocational identity and agentic capacities. It also suggested career educational programs to enhance the agency of college students to handle family-related challenges in career development.

Influence of prior educational contexts on directed self-placement of L2 writers

Directed self-placement (DSP) allows for student agency in writing placement. DSP has been implemented in many composition programs, although it has not been used as widely for L2 writers in higher education. This study investigates the relationship between student placement decisions and students’ prior educational backgrounds, particularly in relationship to whether they had attended an English-medium high school or an intensive English program (IEP). Actual placement results via an exam were compared to 804 students’ self-placement decisions and correlated with their prior educational backgrounds. Findings indicated that most students’ DSP decisions matched actual exam placement results. However, there was a large number of DSP decisions that were higher or lower than exam placement results. Additionally, the longer students studied at an English-medium instruction high school, the more likely they were to place themselves higher than their exam placement. We conclude that DSP can be used in L2 writing programs, but with careful attention to learners’ educational backgrounds, proficiency, and sense of identity.

An exploration of agency enactment in e-portfolio learning co-design

Although research has always related e-portfolios to self-regulated learning, recently agency, which includes individual, relational, and contextual domains, has also been highlighted. Likewise, agency has been explored in technological environments that support collaborative and co-design learning processes. This study, investigating the enactment of student agency within e-portfolio learning co-design in secondary education, focuses on how students perceive their agency within a co-design e-portfolio learning framework, which was coined as the Co-PIRS model in previous stages of research. Among the findings, it can be argued that students report a greater awareness of agency, characterized by competence beliefs (individual domain) in the showcase phase of e-portfolios, peer learning (relational domain), and the opportunities to make choices (contextual domain) in the implementation phase. The study also reveals students' positive attitudes towards reflection, which suggests the suitability of structuring collaboration in the co-design approach. These insights serve as a foundation for implementing e-portfolio co-design frameworks to empower students’ agency and provide educators with guidance.

Learner agency and its types; application in the language learning environment

The article examines student agency as the student’s resource or asset that influences the formation of an individual learning path in foreign language acquisition. Two types of resources are identified: personal – individual characteristics of the student’s intellectual cognitive development, acquired skills, knowledge – and external, economic and social resource, – social, family and educational environment as well as networks. The influence of changes taking place in the learning environment, in particular in language acquisition, and the impact of transformational competencies on the formation and development of agency, student agency, and co-agency are highlighted. Sociological and socio-psychological approaches to defining the concept of agency and the different contexts in which student agency is formed and developed – moral, social, economic, and creative – are outlined. Student agency is defined as an initiative, conscious, self-regulated activity of students aimed at choosing their own learning path in order to achieve personal goals. The types of co-agency within the educational ecosystem are considered; four levels of systemic interaction of educational process stakeholders are distinguished: student-teacher, student-peer, student-family, and student- wider community, and their influence on the formation and development of student agency is emphasized. Based on the theory of structuration and metacognitive strategies that learners favour in the process of organizing language acquisition, the types of student agency used in the language learning environment are differentiated: collaborative, technological, culture-oriented, research, reflexive, self-directed, and action-oriented. The prospect for further research consists in establishing a correlation between the types of student agency and learning tasks in the language classroom

«Распаковка» агентности в школьном проекте: перспективы участвующего подхода

School has become more project-oriented. There is tremendous potential for student agency here. Children's agency can be revealed through a participatory approach to childhood sociology. The analysis model is based on the principles of participatory methodology and interpretive reproduction by Corsaro. Three groups of variables are identified: the subjectivity of the child, the balance of power between the child and the adult, and the joint creativity of the participants. The empirical basis of the study is the “Green School” case, implemented online with the participation of five schoolchildren and one teacher from the Khabarovsk Territory. Observation, interviews, focus groups, and text analysis were used for the monographic analysis of the “case”. In a space of “equal participation”, where students and a teacher are co-participants and co-researchers, children’s agency can be disclosed. Children maximally expresses themselves through free choice, gaining personal experience in the process of making decisions. Responsibility arises not as an “obligation”, but as a motivation for learning: “how can we do it to make it better”. The results of this work can be used by educators in organizing project-based research activities for students, utilizing sociological methods adapted to the study of children.

Students’ Perceptions of Different Grading Systems in Higher Education

Understanding students’ perspectives of grading policies and practices in higher education is necessary for creating equitable learning experiences that support a variety of learners. Through a researcher-made survey, students (n = 56) reported how their course instructors’ grading policies related to perceptions of student agency, emotional health, and content learning. Instructors of those courses utilized one of three approaches: traditional (e.g., points and letter grade systems), alternative (e.g., ungrading, removal of points and letters), or blended (i.e., a combination of traditional and alternative grading approaches). We analyzed students’ responses using a Universal Design for Instruction framework. Students perceived there to be benefits and challenges to all approaches, further demonstrating that designing a grading system is complex and a necessary consideration during course planning and preparation for increased student equity and agency.

몬테소리 학습자관의 학생 주도성에 대한 함의

Objectives This study analyzes the characteristics of perspective on learners in Montessori education and explores its implications for student agency. Methods To achieve this research objective, literature research was conducted in this study. First, Montessori education theory, Montessori school curriculum, and association data were collected to derive the characteristics of perspective on learners in Montessori education. Second, we collected literature related to student agency, explored the concept and meaning of student agency, and analyzed the educational relevance of student agency and Montessori education. Finally, based on the perspective on the learner that Montessori education aims for, the significance of the Montessori learner's perspective on student agency was derived. Results The analysis results show that Montessori education, first, emphasizes the role of teachers as protectors, observers, and creators of the environment to enhance student agency, aiming to nurture proactive learners. Second, Montessori encourages the development of learners with grit by willingly allowing mistakes and focusing on process-oriented assessment that prioritizes the learning process. Third, Montessori education values learners who are self-driven yet socially responsible. It believes that a sense of responsibility towards the community can be achieved through a partnership in education between the school and parents, thus encouraging parental involvement in education. Conclusions The conclusion presents the implications and limitations of Montessori education, as well as practical recommendations for applying it to enhance student agency in educational settings.

Process drama as a tool for participation in explorations of ‘wicked problems’ in upper secondary chemistry education

This study targets a special form of educational drama called process drama, as a potential means for enabling student engagement with wicked problems. The overarching aim is to explore how process drama may afford student agency in dealing with wicked problems in upper secondary chemistry education. It is a design-based study with two cycles of intervention in two schools. A process drama plan was designed to focus on the wicked problem of plastic pollution. The interventions were video- and audiotaped and thereafter transcribed. The data were analysed using a combination of qualitative content analysis and a sociocultural framework of the two dialectics agency|structure and margin|centre. The analysis resulted in three themes regarding how plastic pollution and plastic use was explored in the process drama. The students participated in a constant flow between margin and centre where different spaces for students’ agency was afforded. In brief, our main finding is that process drama enables students and teachers to participate in a variety of ways in the exploration of wicked problems, and talk about plastic pollution and plastic use, while drawing on knowledge and perspectives of science as well as values and societal and social science perspectives and knowledge.