Inclusive instructor leadership and self-directed learning in higher education: The mediating role of student agency among international students

Le résumé fourni par la source

This study examines how inclusive instructor leadership relates to self-directed learning (SDL) in higher education and tests student agency as a mediating mechanism. Survey data were collected from 195 international students enrolled at a state university in Türkiye. The proposed model was analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). Results indicate that inclusive instructor leadership is positively associated with both student agency and SDL, and that student agency is strongly associated with SDL. Mediation analysis further shows that student agency partially mediates the relationship between inclusive instructor leadership and SDL, suggesting that inclusive teaching practices may support students’ autonomous learning primarily by strengthening their sense of agency. The study contributes to higher education teaching and learning research by clarifying a pathway through which inclusive instructor behaviours are linked to student self-directed learning. Practical implications are discussed for inclusive, student-centred instructional design and professional development.

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