Learner Agency video transcript

From my perspective, really at the core of learner agency is the mind-set and the know-how so ‘I have the capacity’, ‘I’m empowered for a lifetime of learning’. I have to admit that it took some time for me to get to that short description of it. The first time I heard the term learner agency a number of years ago, my reaction was learner what? And so digging into what learner agency was, was a real good learning experience but it also caused me to really value this agency and how we can build the capacity of learners so that they are equipped, prepared, positioned for a lifetime of learning.

What are three characteristics of learner agency?

The three characteristics that my colleagues and I sort of identified so we could get our arms around it were a who piece. Who am I as a learner? And that was really, you know, do I have the initiative innate part of me that really wants to learn? Do I have a love of learning? Is it really a part of my internal mechanism in terms of learning? And so we think it’s critical that that component be there, that mindset, that I really do want to learn. And then we talked about the what and for us the what was what are the tools that I have in my toolbox in terms of making me an effective learner? And so how do I solve problems? What are the strategies I use? Do I have the resilience to hang in there in terms of being able to be successful at learning? And then the third part we started refer to as the how in terms of ok if I have the mindset, I have the drive for learning, I’ve got my toolbox, then how do I organise and structure myself so that I can be successful in terms of learning and so really thinking about okay where do I want to go with my learning, even I think in terms of a goal and then in terms of process and so that eventually I get to the product, the result that I want in terms of learning and I learned from the learning cycle and so it may be prompts me to want to keep learning more. And so those are the three pieces that we sort of see as the essential ingredients; the mindset, the know-how and then how do I need to act in a manner that leads me to a lifetime of learning.

Learner Agency video

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