The hidden curriculum can be defined as the set of rules, customs, beliefs, languages and symbols that are manifested in the structure and operation of an institution (Acevedo, 2010), which are produced in parallel with the intentions of the explicit, manifest or written curriculum, and precisely through the practices with which it is developed. It refers to learning that is acquired by students although these aspects are not included in the official curriculum.
Any environment, including social, recreational and traditional activities, can lead to unintentional learning, since learning is not only connected to schools, but also to the experiences that a person has. In this case, it is at the pre-school or higher education level. It is everything that can be seen and heard, but transmitted and received unconsciously, at least without any recognised intentionality.
According to Parcerisa (1999), the hidden curriculum transmits, above all, values and attitudes through a process of analysis and reflection, on many other occasions through what Bandura calls “vicarious learning” produced by teachers in their way of acting and through their intervention.
References
Acevedo Huerta, J. E. (2010, noviembre). El currículo oculto en las enseñanzas formales. Aspectos menos visibles a tener en cuenta para una educación no sexista. Temas para la educación. Recuperado de: https://www.feandalucia.ccoo.es/docu/p5sd7590.pdf
Parcerisa, A. (1999). ¿Qué es el currículum oculto?
Authorship
Paula López Peña, Marcos Ruiz Vadillo, Lidia San Emeterio Uslé y Sandra Viso Sotorrío, 2020.