Educating for Human Agency in the Agentic Era
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17613/w2217-f2223Keywords:
agentic artificial intelligence, human agency, education, AI literacy, educational assessmentAbstract
The emergence of agentic artificial intelligence (AI) is changing the relationship between humans and intelligent technologies in education. Unlike generative AI, which primarily responds to user instructions, AI agents can plan tasks, use digital tools, and perform multi-step activities with a degree of autonomy. This development requires education to reconsider its priorities. This editorial argues that the central educational challenge in the agentic era is not simply improving students’ ability to use AI, but strengthening their capacity to exercise human agency. Education needs to develop learners who can define goals, direct AI systems, evaluate their outputs, make informed judgments, and remain accountable for their decisions. This shift has implications for AI literacy, independent thinking, assessment, disciplinary knowledge, the role of teachers, academic responsibility, and educational equity. As AI becomes increasingly capable of performing cognitive and operational tasks, education should place greater emphasis on capabilities that support meaningful human decision-making. The agentic era therefore calls for an educational approach in which AI serves as an instrument for human development while human beings retain responsibility for the purposes, boundaries, and consequences of its use.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Fajar Persada Supandi, Muhammad Yunus Maulana, Niken Resminingpuri Krisdianti, Muhammad Salman Abidin (Author)
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