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Figure 1
Theoretical Lens of This Study: Two Perspectives on Agency
• Hase and Kenyon (2007)
• Individuals are capable learners and learn what they want, when they want,
how they want
Heutagogy
• Bandura (1989):
• “Through their capacity to manipulate symbols and
engage in reflective
thought, individuals can generate novel ideas and innovative actions that
transcend their past experiences” (p. 1182)
Social Cognitivist View of Agency
Agency
Human agency has long been discussed in the literature (Vaughn, 2020a) by thinkers
from various schools of thought, but all have recognized agency as a desirable human trait.
Viewing agency from a social cognitive perspective, Bandura (2001) identified four core
properties of human agency: intentionality, forethought, self-reactiveness, and self-
reflectiveness. He proposed agentive individuals possess the intentionality to influence their own
executive functioning and the circumstances around them. From Bandura’s (2006) perspective,
agentive people are active contributors to the circumstances in their lives and not just the
product
of such circumstances. Agentive people make good judgements and regulate their behavior to
stay on a path that will be conducive to seizing opportunities to improve their social status and
position in life.
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Bandura (2001) contended individuals demonstrate agency when they act with control
and follow a strategic plan of action to resolve a given situation. It takes agency
for a person to
transform their reality for a better one. Through agency, individuals become contributors to their
life’s circumstances. Agentive persons seek to transform their reality. Taking this first step to
transform their reality requires a certain degree of agency because agency is the basis of
empowerment (Klemenčič, 2017). Schools that provide opportunities for educators and students
to engage in critical pedagogy and are supportive of promoting student agency
create rich and
healthy learning environments where students are generative and poised to become future leaders
(Vaughn, 2020b) in their communities as they develop intellectually, working alongside their
teachers.
