When confronted with intense workloads and a constantly changing world (and technological changes like AI), it only makes sense that educators and leaders feel the need to double down on cultures of compliance that traditional teaching and assessments create–its a way for us to manage the chaos in our lives and work. But we’ve forgotten that our students are really no different from us, and as the research says, need independence, agency, and self-determination to become healthy, self-actualized humans, and therefore successful learners and members of society.

In this episode, Michael talks about the role of agency in learning, why teachers are afraid of it, and how it's the solution to so many challenges in education and society.

Learn how to design and grade authentic assignments in Michael's best-selling book, ⁠Storytelling With Purpose: Digital Projects to Ignite Student Curiosity⁠.

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