Putting the social into learner agency: Understanding social relationships and affordances

Mairitsch A.;Sulis G.;Mercer S.;Bauer D.

2023-01-01

---

Abstract

While learner agency and self-regulation are known to be interconnected, the factors underlying their dynamic interplay have gone largely overlooked in educational research. This study explores the multifaceted nature of learner agency, focusing on the socially constructed and distributed dimensions of the construct. Data were generated through eight focus groups conducted with 13 secondary students over the course of one school year, and four focus groups with five teachers working intensely with these students. Findings revealed the key role of social relationships in how learners constructed and distributed their agency for self-regulated learning. The article concludes by considering how these findings can inform interventions to foster learners’ agency and their awareness of their self-regulatory behaviour within and beyond school.