A cross-cultural perspective of agency in primary contexts: Validation of the student agency profile across multiple sites

Abstract

This study examines the multidimensional construct of student agency across four countries, Ireland, Italy, Norway, and the United States. Elementary students across contexts (n = 1,229) completed the Student Agency Profile (StAP) to assess their agency in the classroom with respect to literacy. Confirmatory factor analyses largely aligned with the hypothesized dimensions of agency across sites. Findings from a multigroup confirmatory factor analysis revealed invariance across the four countries suggesting that scores generated by the StAP are able to assess student agency. Discussion highlights the importance of cross-cultural explorations of agency to shed light on how students have a voice in their decision-making when it comes to literacy.