Digital Agency: Empowering Equity in and through Education

Abstract

This theoretical paper is concerned with conceptualising a major issue that faces all those concerned with and charged with influencing the future of equity in education—the need for digital agency (DA). The paper offers a rationale for this concern, highlights the importance of the concept and its practices, presents the challenges it brings, some current ways in which practices are tackling these challenges, and considers the theoretical foundation for how it might be addressed further in the future. The paper defines DA, and its three component parts—digital competence, digital confidence, and digital accountability. The paper argues that DA is a fundamental requirement for and through education, that it affects all citizens in a global society, and should be enabled through their ongoing and developing digital practices. The paper concludes with recommendations for different educational groups—including policy makers, practitioners, developers, and researchers.