An experimental case study on the development of a language learner's agentic identity

Learner agency has become a major area of interest within the field of language education over the last thirty years. It is fast becoming a key concept in the era of learner-centered pedagogies. Determining the impact of formal educational context on the learners' agentic development is important for the future of language education at a time when learners are capable of maintaining their learning process in out-of-school contexts and bringing their personal experiences and expertize into formal educational settings. However, the impact of ecological transition from language classes in high schools to tertiary level EFL learning context have yet to be understood. Similarly, researchers have not investigated the extent to which tertiary level preparatory language education can be designed to enhance learners' use of agency. This thesis aimed to explore a language learner's agentic development before and after language class in high school, transition from high school to university, and the impact of syllabus design on a learner's agency use in a tertiary level language learning context. The research is based on one case study which includes five interventions in a preparatory language class in a state university. The findings of this thesis suggested that learners develop their agentic identity as a result of interplay among different social and educational contexts in differing timescales interacting with other social agents by self-regulative skills. Ecological transitions between these phases and contexts can be facilitated by a harmony between micro level syllabus designs and regulations at the national level. The present results highlight the detrimental effects that macro level assessment policies have on micro level classroom practices and learners' agentic development in formal educational contexts.