Success factors for students’ agency

Participation is not a matter of all or nothing.

Promoting students’ agency and offering them a voice requires meaningful structures of participation that evolve in line with students’ experiences, capacities, and interests. For this dynamic process, Esteban (2022) proposes a gradual model of participation that can serve as a valuable framework for fostering students’ agency within inclusive democratic educational communities. 

At the heart of this model lies the idea of a progressive partnership and co-leadership between learners and professionals. The level of student participation can and should expand over time, in alignment with their growing knowledge, skills, and familiarity with participatory processes. This approach values students not just as recipients of education, but as co-constructors of their learning journey and learning environment. 

The model identifies different degrees of participation, which can serve as orientation points for schools seeking to strengthen students’ agency: 

1. Joint Deliberation and Co-Design 
   At the foundational level, students are encouraged to participate in decision-making processes about their own learning: they can define learning objectives, organize their study time, and adapt learning pathways to their individual and collective needs. 
   Furthermore, students can contribute to the design of physical learning spaces, proposing arrangements that reflect their needs and promote inclusion and wellbeing.
   Moreover, students are encouraged to participate in classroom management and activity planning. This involves co-responsible decision-making with peers and teachers around issues such as classroom rules, group activities, or the use of free time. 

2. Co-Leadership in School Management 
   Building on these initial steps, students can take part in teacher and school leadership meetings, where they discuss and influence decisions on matters that directly affect them. This level of involvement acknowledges students as capable of engaging in institutional governance and policy discussions. 

1. Co-Governance 
   At the highest level of participation, students are not only informed and consulted but also act proactively in the management of school life. Their voices and votes are considered equal to those of adults, reflecting a deep commitment to democratic principles. This empowers students to develop a strong sense of responsibility, civic engagement, and collective ownership of their education. 

To implement this model effectively, schools should begin to open spaces for reflection on current participation practices and to jointly explore pathways for expanding these practices in a gradual and meaningful way.