The “A” of the New ABCs
Agency
Agency is about acting rather than being acted upon – fully participating as an equal and contributing member of a community that shares a common goal or purpose. Agency is the capability to make choices and take an active role in one’s own life path.
Resources to promote Agency – the ability to take action and/or choose what action to take.
Videos
Are We Preparing Students to be Chefs or Cooks?
In this video, we take a look at the difference between “chef-like behaviors” vs “cook-like behaviors” and ask the big question: What is the purpose of schooling?
Promoting Student Agency
Karen Boyes starts with the big picture of education and the changes coming. She then explores the underlying philosophies of the Modern Learning Environment and practical ways to develop student agency.
A Future for the World’s Children Documentary
In this film, we present the key findings of the seminal WHO-UNICEF-Lancet report “A future for the world’s children?” to help governments, communities and industry make real change for the world’s children.
Molly Wright: How every child can thrive by five
Breaking down the research-backed ways parents and caregivers can support children’s healthy brain development, seven-year-old Molly Wright highlights the benefits of play on lifelong learning, behavior and well-being, sharing effective strategies to help all kids thrive by the age of five.
Impactful Innovation and Student Agency
Chicago based digital learning coordinator Jennie Magiera talks about meaningful change – not change for the sake of change but transformation that is focused on improving learning and experiences for students.
Online Resources
Learner Agency in an Innovative Learning Environment
An example of student agency in a school in Hallswell, Australia.
From Disengaged to Empowered: How Belonging, Purpose, and Agency Can Motivate Students
A Blog published by EL Education.
OECD Development Policy Tools, Evidence-based Policy Making for Youth Well-being – Engaging youth in policy-making processes
Youth participation in policy-making processes is an action-oriented process involving young people in institutions, initiatives and decisions, and affording them control over resources that affect their lives. This section describes different levels and forms of youth participation in the policy-making cycle.
A podcast hosted by Robert Balfanz,
director of the Everyone Graduates Center.
Conversations with leaders in education from around the country on bold new ideas and research-based strategies for redesigning American education to more effectively engage all students and equip them for the challenges of today’s workplace and world.