Derek Wenmoth and Annette Thompson on The Agency Playbook
Jan 17, 2024
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Derek Wenmoth and Annette Thompson, authors of the Agency by Design playbook, join the host to discuss learner agency in education, emphasizing the need for choices and skills. They explore the three dimensions of agency, the potential of AI in education, and the importance of risk-taking, trust, and ownership in empowering learners.
Learner agency empowers students to find purpose in education and fosters engagement and ownership of learning.
True agency involves individual choices, collaboration, empathy, and responsibility for personal growth within a nurturing culture.
Deep dives
Understanding Learner Agency and its Increasing Importance
Learner agency is a trending topic, as organizations recognize the need to empower students and increase their voice and choice in education. It is associated with personalized, learner-centered approaches and plays a crucial role in helping young people find purpose in their education.
Experiences of Learner Agency in Education
Educators Derek Wenmeth and Annette Thompson share their personal experiences of learner agency. Annette recalls a third-grade project where students had the freedom to choose and research a simple machine, fostering engagement and a sense of agency. Derek recounts his middle school experience where students co-designed the curriculum, resulting in a year-long journey of empowered learning and culminating in a self-designed field trip. These examples highlight the transformative impact of agency on students' engagement and ownership of their learning.
Defining Agency and its Significance
Agency is defined as having choices and the skills and knowledge to act upon them. It goes beyond mere choice by empowering students to take responsibility for their own learning. True agency involves not only individual choices but also the ability to collaborate with others, show empathy, and contribute positively to the community and environment. It is a positive force for personal growth, but its success depends on a culture that nurtures responsibility, self-awareness, and respect for others.
Promoting Agency and Addressing Challenges
To foster learner agency, educators must take intentional steps, starting with small shifts and gradually increasing ownership of learning. Teachers should facilitate conversations and reflections on collaboration, conflict resolution, and taking risks. Creating safe spaces within and beyond the school environment is crucial for students to engage with agency and prepare them to navigate a rapidly changing world. Additionally, the responsible use of AI tools, such as personalized learning platforms, can enhance agency by providing individualized support and expanding access to resources and knowledge.
On this episode of the Getting Smart Podcast, Nate McClennen is joined by Derek Wenmoth, Founder of Futuremakers, teacher, principal, distance educator and educational policy adviser in New Zealand and internationally. He’s also joined by Annette Thompson, Chief Executive Officer at Inquire Innovation and, previously, an elementary school teacher and principal for 37 years. She was named Arkansas Elementary Principal of the Year and an NAESP National Distinguished Principal in 2017. Together, Derek and Annette were two of the four co-authors of Agency By Design, a new playbook supported by the Aurora Institute, Future Makers and the New England Association of Schools and Colleges.