Exploring Upper Elementary Students’ Agency Across Contexts

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  In Roundtable Session: Discussions Around Learning Environments Research (Table 8)

Abstract

This research explores elementary students’ perceptions of their agency in literacy. Using social cognitive theory to orient student agency, the researchers used the Student Agency Profile, (StAP), a validated student survey instrument to measure student agency. Researchers administered the StAP survey to 675 upper elementary students (grades 3-6th) located in multiple locations across the United States. Results found insignificant gender differences between girls’ and boys’ agency. Moreover, results indicate that students’ perceptions of their agency in literacy appear to decline across grade levels, particularly in fourth grade, suggesting a need to further investigate opportunities for agency during literacy instruction across upper grade levels. Implications for future research and application to literacy instruction is discussed.

Authors

• Margaret Vaughn, Washington State University

• Kira J. Carbonneau, Washington State University

• Catherine A. Lammert, Texas Tech University

• Kyle C. Arlington, Teachers College, Columbia University

• Bonnie Barksdale, Middle Tennessee State University

• Stacy Fields, Middle Tennessee State University