Picture a classroom where students eagerly drive their own learning journey instead of passively receiving information. When students take meaningful ownership of their learning—what educators call "student agency"—and pair it with ongoing feedback through formative assessment, something remarkable happens. Learning becomes more engaging, meaningful, and effective for everyone involved.

This is the magic of student agency in assessment. Instead of waiting for teachers to tell them how they're doing, students actively participate in setting goals, gathering evidence of their learning, and determining next steps. This partnership transforms education into a collaborative adventure where teachers guide rather than dictate. 

In this article, we'll explore what student agency and formative assessment actually mean, why they're so powerful when combined, practical strategies for implementation, potential challenges, and how this integration creates future-ready learners.

What does student agency look like?

Student agency is about empowering learners to take meaningful action in their educational journey. This goes beyond simple autonomy—it's about students becoming purposeful drivers of their own learning.

At its core, student agency includes voice (expressing perspectives), choice (having meaningful options), goal-setting, self-regulation, reflection, and self-efficacy (believing in one's ability to succeed). Understanding these concepts can further empower students in their learning journey. 

Research shows that fostering student agency leads to increased motivation, deeper engagement, and improved academic outcomes. When students develop agency, they become more self-directed, resilient, and capable of lifelong learning, skills invaluable both in education and beyond.

Understanding formative assessment

Formative assessment monitors student learning and provides ongoing feedback during the learning process. Unlike summative assessments, which evaluate learning at the end, formative assessments occur throughout the journey, creating opportunities for real-time adjustments. 

The benefits are substantial: immediate, actionable feedback, timely instructional adjustments, personalized learning opportunities, enhanced metacognition, higher engagement, and improved knowledge retention. 

According to Carnegie Mellon University, "The goal of formative assessment is to monitor student learning to provide ongoing feedback that can be used by instructors to improve their teaching and by students to improve their learning." Practices include exit tickets, peer reviews, quick quizzes, and draft projects.

Why student agency is key to effective formative assessment

When student agency and formative assessment join forces, they create a powerful learning dynamic. Students transform from passive feedback recipients to active participants in their own assessment process. 

Through this active participation, students develop a deeper understanding of learning objectives, become better at self-reflection, and take genuine ownership of their educational journey.

Several frameworks successfully integrate these concepts:

• WestEd's Student Agency in Assessment and Learning (SAAL) Framework: This project focuses on how formative assessment practices contribute to learner agency through self-assessment, peer feedback, and reflection.

• The OECD Learning Compass 2030: This framework emphasizes student agency as a driver of educational innovation, with assessment playing a crucial role.

• AI literacy framework: Implementing an AI literacy framework, such as the 4 C’s, can significantly enhance student agency in formative assessments.

By incorporating these elements, educators create environments where students actively participate in their educational journey—setting goals, reflecting on progress, and using assessment data to make informed decisions about their learning.

Strategies to foster student agency for effective formative assessment

These practical approaches can help you empower your students to take charge of their learning journeys.

Co-constructing assessment criteria and goals

When students help develop learning goals and success criteria, a core component of student-centered learning, they gain ownership of their progress. This can be as simple as a class discussion about what makes "good writing" or using digital collaboration tools for older students.

Explicit modeling and scaffolding

Show students how to self-assess, give feedback, and identify next steps through think-alouds. Educators in a NextGen Learning study found "the practice of think alouds particularly useful... this models a classroom culture where it's OK not to know everything."

Regular self-reflection

Provide structured reflection opportunities through journals or digital tools so that students can monitor their own learning needs.

Peer feedback and collaborative assessment

Scaffold peer review activities with sentence stems and protocols to ensure feedback is constructive and actionable. This only improves work quality but also develops critical thinking skills.

Technology integration for enhanced student agency

Digital tools amplify student agency by providing choice, enabling timely feedback , supporting e-portfolios , facilitating peer assessment, aggregating progress data, and accommodating diverse learning needs. 

Potential challenges in implementation

Implementing student agency isn't without hurdles. 

• Systemic constraints, such as rigid curricula and standardized assessments, often leave little room for student choice. 

• Teacher readiness is another challenge—many educators are more comfortable with direct instruction and need additional strategies for managing student-driven environments. 

• Equity concerns are critical. Without deliberate practices, student agency initiatives risk privileging already-advantaged students. Cultural and socioeconomic diversity also creates varying interpretations of agency. 

• And finally, there is the learning curve involved in implementing a new form of assessment. Students accustomed to rote learning may initially struggle with open-ended choices and self-regulation.

Solutions include:

• Adopting culturally responsive pedagogy

• Providing ongoing professional development

• Designing flexible curricula

• Establishing support systems

• Empowering students with roles in school governance

• Engaging parents to build broader support

Transforming assessment with student agency

Student agency and formative assessment create a perfect partnership for 21st-century learning. By giving students active roles in their assessment process, we foster deeper engagement, metacognition, and lifelong learning skills. Students who help construct assessment criteria, engage in self-reflection, and participate in peer feedback develop a true sense of ownership over their learning journey.

Technology enhances this integration by offering multiple ways to demonstrate learning, receive feedback, and track progress. While challenges exist, thoughtful strategies can address them effectively. The real power lies in preparing students for an unpredictable future by developing their ability to set goals, reflect on progress, and take meaningful action.

Ready to build a classroom where students take control of their learning journeys? SchoolAI offers resources, tools, and community support to help you implement student agency in your formative assessment practices. Sign up today to find out more!

Key takeaways

• Student agency transforms students from passive recipients into active participants who set goals, gather evidence, and determine next steps in their own learning process.

• Effective formative assessment with student agency creates a collaborative partnership where teachers guide rather than dictate the learning journey.

• Students develop stronger metacognitive skills through structured reflection opportunities, peer feedback activities, and involvement in creating assessment criteria.

• Digital tools amplify student agency by providing choices for demonstrating learning, enabling timely feedback, and supporting the creation of e-portfolios to track progress.

• Implementing student agency requires addressing challenges, including systemic constraints, teacher readiness, equity concerns, and helping students adapt to more self-directed learning approaches.