Learner Agency and Learners’ Engagement in Learner-Centered Settings at Maluno Integrated School

Abstract

Learner agency has emerged as a central construct in learner-centered education, emphasizing learners’ capacity to make choices, influence learning processes, and take responsibility for their own learning. Closely linked to agency is learner engagement, a multidimensional construct encompassing behavioral, emotional, and cognitive involvement in learning activities. While learner-centered pedagogy is widely promoted in basic education, empirical studies examining how learner agency operates in everyday classroom practice and how it shapes learners’ engagement particularly in integrated school contexts remain limited. This qualitative case study investigated how learner agency was enacted in learner-centered classrooms at Maluno Integrated School and how it influenced learners’ engagement. Data were collected through classroom observations, focus group discussions with learners, and semi-structured interviews with teachers. Thematic analysis revealed four interrelated themes: (1) voice and choice as foundations of behavioral engagement, (2) ownership of learning as a source of emotional engagement, (3) collaborative decision-making as a structure for sustained engagement, and (4) teacher facilitation and scaffolding as enablers of agentic learning. Findings indicate that learner agency strengthened engagement when supported by clear structures and guidance. The study concludes with implications for instructional practice, school leadership, and future research on learner agency in basic education.