The Team Academy learning environment: supporting the developing recognition of learners' agency

Purpose This paper explores how the Team Academy learning environment supports the developing recognition of learners' agency through developmental space, developmental relationships and authentic responsibility. Design/methodology/approach The study adopts a qualitative interpretive case study of Team Academy Debrecen. The analysis draws on contemporaneous reflective documents written during the author's Team Mastery development and retrospective written reflections from former Team Academy graduates and team coaches. Findings Participants described changes in self-understanding, recognition of personal strengths and confidence in their capacity to act, often as a gradual process rather than a single transformative moment. The findings suggest that acting under uncertainty within a supportive developmental environment may contribute to greater certainty in how learners understand themselves and their capacity to act. Research limitations/implications As a single interpretive case study, the research does not seek statistical generalisation. Future research could investigate how recognised agency contributes to intentional and responsible participation beyond the learning environment. Practical implications The findings suggest that higher education can complement disciplinary knowledge with developmental learning environments that prepare learners to engage with uncertainty. Social implications By supporting learners in recognising and exercising their agency, higher education may strengthen their capacity to act and take responsibility while navigating uncertainty. Originality/value The study highlights the developmental potential of acting under uncertainty and the challenge educators face in creating and sustaining learning environments that support this process.