Teaching Styles, Learner Agency, and Classroom Engagement in Learner-Centered Classrooms at Maluno Integrated School
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55687/ste.v5i1.271Abstract
Learner-centered pedagogy has been widely promoted as a means of fostering learner agency and classroom engagement, yet limited qualitative research has examined how teaching styles shape these outcomes in everyday classroom practice, particularly in basic education contexts in developing countries. This qualitative case study explored how teaching styles influence learner agency and classroom engagement in learner-centered classrooms at Maluno Integrated School. Drawing on classroom observations and in-depth semi-structured interviews with teachers and students, the study examined lived instructional experiences and interactional practices that enabled or constrained participation. Thematic analysis revealed four interrelated themes: (1) facilitative teaching styles as enablers of learner agency, (2) dialogic classrooms as spaces for engagement, (3) negotiated authority and shared responsibility for learning, and (4) structural and contextual constraints on learner-centered enactment. Findings indicate that teaching styles characterized by autonomy support, dialogue, and relational sensitivity fostered students’ sense of agency and sustained behavioral, emotional, and cognitive engagement. However, institutional and classroom constraints moderated the depth of learner-centered practice. The study contributes qualitative evidence to the understanding of how learner-centered pedagogy operates in practice and highlights the central role of teaching styles in translating learner-centered ideals into meaningful classroom engagement.
Keywords: teaching styles, learner agency, classroom engagement, learner-centered pedagogy, qualitative case study
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