Learner Agency
The term learner agency describes the ability of students to do things on their own and to decide upon their own learning experiences. It is the empowerment, self-direction, and the capability to assume responsibility for one's educational journey, which are essential for creating motivation and engagement in learning.
The autonomy, competence, and relatedness bent are the pillars of learner agency. When autonomy is at play, students choose their own way of learning, while competence is the way that students develop skills and set a high standard of confidence. The relatedness aspect mostly centers on the establishment of supportive peer and teacher connections that ultimately result in a positive classroom.
Involving students in optional assignments, directing them towards setting their goals and accepting their views about the course plan are the ways that teachers may implement the student agency. The most striking instance is when the pupils are permitted to choose the subjects of their projects which are of their interest this will positively affect their participation and gaining possessiveness of the learning algorithm.
The autonomy given to the learners has a good effect on the student outcomes as it drives motivation, enriches the critical thinking skills of the students, and raises their academic performance. Self-directed learning is associated with a higher rate of persistence and a greater likelihood of goal achievement among the learners based on the studies.
Surely, online learning environments can be integrated with learner agency through flexible learning paths, interactive resources, and collaborative tools. For example, the sites that offer options to students to choose their learning modules and grants them the right of working at their own pace are factors that build a sense of the ownership and responsibility of their education.