Curriculum guidelines for the development of student agency in secondary education: a systematic review

Snijder, A.J.M.; Tigelaar, E.H.; Admiraal, W.F.

doi:doi:10.1002/curj.318

Persistent URL of this record https://hdl.handle.net/1887/4239267

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Snijder, A.J.M.; Tigelaar, E.H.; Admiraal, W.F. (2025)

Curriculum guidelines for the development of student agency in secondary education: a systematic review

Article / Letter to editor

To prepare students for lifelong learning, and their role in society, student agency has been foregrounded as an important aim of secondary education. In general, student agency is seen as the will and skill to intentionally transform one's functioning or circumstances. Yet, research on promoting student agency in secondary education is based on a fragmented view of both agency and the curriculum. This study reviews 86 empirical articles to establish guidelines for a curriculum that supports student agency in secondary education. Using Bandura's framework for student agency and Van den Akker's curricular model, this systematic review highlights how various curriculum elements influence student agency. It presents a curriculum model to inform teachers' choices in promoting student agency. Implications for future studies on the interplay between curriculum elements, student agency, learning and citizenship are discussed.