Refers to a person’s capacity and willingness to take an active role in their own learning—shaping what, how, and why they learn. It involves self-direction, goal setting, reflection, and collaboration with others to create meaningful learning pathways. Exercising learner agency means that individuals are not passive recipients of instruction but co-creators of their educational and professional development.

Increasingly, learner agency is viewed as a cornerstone of 21st-century education and work. It enables individuals to act intentionally, make informed choices, and adapt to continuous change—skills essential in a rapidly evolving global ecosystem of learning and work.

• Essential skills for the future: Internationally, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in Learning Compass 2030 highlights agency as essential for developing the skills, knowledge, and values needed to thrive in a complex, interconnected world. They identity three core foundations of learner agency which taken together prepare individuals to thrive in complex, interconnected work and civic environments:
  • Skills (social, emotional, and “learning to learn”)
  • Knowledge (disciplinary, interdisciplinary, epistemic, and procedural)
  • Attitudes and values (such as curiosity, responsibility, and respect).
• Higher education and workforce development
  • In higher education and workforce development, learner agency is increasingly linked to future-ready and self-determined learning. Research by Ehlers and Kellermann (2019) identifies a shift toward learner-centered models emphasizing autonomy, self-organization, reflection, and personalized learning pathways. This aligns with heutagogical principles, in which learners design and manage their own learning experiences to build adaptability and lifelong learning skills.
• Workplace learning and professional development
  • Learner agency extends into workplace learning and professional development. Studies in vocational education and training show that self-determined learning approaches—such as problem-based learning, increased learner responsibility, and reciprocal feedback—can enhance professional growth and performance. As learners gain confidence and control over their learning, dependency on supervision diminishes, and self-direction increases.

See Topic Brief: Changes in Teaching and Learning in the 21st Century—Pedagogy, Andragogy, and Heutagogy | Learn & Work Ecosystem Library

See Glossary: Heutagogy | Learn & Work Ecosystem Library