Think back to a time when you felt truly empowered to make a decision. Perhaps it was choosing your career path, selecting a home, or even deciding how to tackle a challenging project. That feeling of ownership and control is powerful—it drives motivation, persistence, and ultimately, success. Now imagine if we could cultivate that same sense of empowerment in our students from an early age.

In this episode of Change Starts Here: Research Conversations, Dr. Jennifer Chevalier, Director of Funding at FranklinCovey Education, and Kim Yaris, M.Ed., Associate Director of Research, explore the critical concept of student agency. They distinguish agency from efficacy, share powerful stories that demonstrate both the presence and absence of agency in educational settings, and discuss practical strategies educators can implement to foster agency in their classrooms. Learn how small shifts in language, purposeful wait time, and creating space for productive struggle can transform students from passive followers into active, confident learners who take ownership of their education and their lives.

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Starring:

Kim Yaris, M.Ed, Associate Director of Research at FranklinCovey Education

Dr. Jennifer Chevalier, Director of Funding at FranklinCovey Education

Time stamps:

(00:00 - 01:29) Introduction and Defining Agency

(01:30 - 03:29) Agency vs. Efficacy and Real-World Examples

(03:30 - 05:59) The Impact of Limited Agency

(06:00 - 08:20) Learned Helplessness and Why Agency Matters

(08:21 - 10:39) Barriers to Developing Agency

(10:40 - 13:49) Teacher Intentions and Productive Struggle

(13:50 - 16:20) Strategies: Language and Wait Time

(16:21 - 18:29) Building Confidence Through Practice

(18:30 - 20:20) Systemic Approach and Closing