Hidden Curriculum in Education (pdf)

EDUCATION PROGRAM
DEVELOPMENT ON THE
HIDDEN CURRICULUM
(MASTER'S LEVEL)

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
Explore, Identify and summarise the key elements of topic in relation to education program
development................................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................6
Critical Appraisal of Literature Review Including the Relevance and Application of Health
Professions Education.................................................................................................................6
Critical Analysis of Literature Review.......................................................................................8
Discussion on findings................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................11

INTRODUCTION
The concept of hidden curriculum is concerned with unwritten, non-official and
unplanned instructions of teaching. This concept is based on realising that students must be able
to take up learning in the higher educational levels that may or may not be a portion of formal
working course (Dehghani, Salsali and Cheraghi, 2016). There are examples of understanding a
concept of hidden curriculum like the manner in which the students are required to interact with
teachers and peer members, a manner and approaches in which they are required to take into
consideration different races, groups, class of people, etc. Generally, this kind of curriculum
starts with an early age of children. This is the manner in which students are given education
regarding the cultural values and attitudes that are being transferred through the structure of
teaching and this concept is not set by the teacher. The main objective behind researching on this
topic is not to eliminate completely the hidden curriculum from nursing programs, but to analyse
how it affects the learners and the way it reinforces negative organizational culture and structures
in academics. For identifying the negative consequences of hidden curriculum and moral
imagination for developing the educational programs.
Explore, Identify and summarise the key elements of topic in relation to education program
development
Hidden curriculum is termed as an unofficial, unwritten and unintended perspectives,
lessons and values that is learned by students in educational groups (Leask, 2015). In relation
with formal curriculum, it covers learning activities, courses and lessons students take
participation in along with set of skills and knowledge which is intentionally teach by educators
to students. In addition with this, hidden curriculum include implicit and unspoken academic,
cultural message and social that are mainly communicated to students group while are in

academic premises such as school and colleges (Hunter and Cook, 2018). The hidden-
curriculum concept is mainly supported on student recognition so to absorb lessons within
educational group. These are basically those lessons that are not included in the part of formal
course of study. For instance, the manner in which students interact with teacher, peers and other
adults, along with it these lesson include, what behaviours are considerably unacceptable and
acceptable. It has been identified that hidden curriculum are mainly defined as “ hidden” as they
are basically unexamined and unacknowledged by wider community, students and educators.
Hidden curriculum will benefit educators in nursing and faculty to model empathy and further
effectively encourage discussion that are of negative and positive and behaviours within training
environment (Monteverde, 2014). In addition with this, it is essential by educational programme
development group to foster honesty, inquiry and respect and further empower individuals to
raise any kind of concerns in relation to care delivery, ethics and professionalism. With the help
of hidden curriculum positive messages such as respect and teamwork can be taught and
modeled. This will effectively integrate positive aspects into formal curriculum that
simultaneously lead towards development of approaches (Dutton and Sellheim, 2014). Thus, it
has been identified that hidden curriculum covers those practices that effectively reflects the
manner in which major elements within education development programmes are done. It has
been further evaluated that many teachers put their emphasis on hidden curriculum importance as
to develop students in best effective manner by guiding their participation within social
conventions (Karimi and et. al., 2015). Thus, with the assistance of this, educators in nursing and
other health care promoters can effectively able to assist students in best effective and possible
manner. By taken into consideration, educator and health care promoters can further aid students
to become more self-confident and independent (Krautscheid, 2014). Education that are provided

in education development program can effectively under-taken by students as to eliminate
commitment of act of gender discrimination and racism. It has been seen that concept of hidden
curriculum in nursing educational developing programmes are widely being discussed and
recognized and further addressed by care promoters and educators (Chen, 2015). Some of the
certain elements that are being taught in this include, multicultural education, white privilege,
equity and voice (Hafferty and O'Donnell, 2015). There are mainly two related aspects of hidden
curriculum that include the structural and organizational and cultural. With the help of this,
educators and other care promoters within nursing educational development program can guide
students in best formative manner.
Educators along with health care promoters in nursing educational developing
programmes can effectively able to notice hidden curriculum when resources are scare. By
looking at policies it is essential for them to allocate resources in order to see which element is
required to be valued (Balboni and et. al., 2015). It has been identified that main scarcest
resources in nursing for both educators and students is time. For this it is essential for educators
in nursing to effectively prioritise the factors and things that hold great interest. The hidden
curriculum in nursing education is an overrated topic. Nursing has negative impact on the hidden
curriculum such as providing the professional and ethics value is difficult process. Major focus
should be given on the education of nursing to limit the loss of nursing and professional values
(Whitcomb, 2014). The concept of hidden curriculum came in picture in nearly century and have
seen development approach in health profession with the help of hidden curriculum. It is product
of similar artefact and culture of education program. There are mainly following negative
elements in nursing which are stated below:-

Power: Student have to be patient in this profession and should develop leadership
capabilities with their peers and with practise team member (Thomas and et. al., 2016). However
when these skills are evaluated during education, it shapes the persons personality.
Privilege: As there are limited nursing placement student have desired to work in
reputed company which create an environment of stress and anxiety. Yet student can gain
knowledge with the help of hidden curriculum and they can easily achieve their desire goal bu
preferential treatment.
Further it has been analysed that key major concept within higher education include deep
approaches and surface to learning (Dehghani, Salsali and Cheraghi, 2016). In order to
effectively cope up with the negative aspects of hidden curriculum medical care promoters and
educators are required to employ training during work as to effectively tolerate, master and
decrease internal and external demand along with conflicts that arises on day to day basis
(Hunter and Cook, 2018). In addition within this, negative aspects can be further reduced with
the assistance of collective problem solving measures. Educators and care practitioners by
engaging students within education program development in collective problem solving can
effectively able to reduce the negative aspect of hidden curriculum (Leask, 2015). Further with
the formative assistance of practical tool that are mainly associated with procedures to
effectively address hidden curriculum within clinical workplaces. There are different types
methods with the help of which negative influence of hidden curriculum can be effectively
overcome, some the the certain include setting and participants, structure of REVIEW tool and
more (Addressing the hidden curriculum in the clinical workplace: A practical tool for trainees
and faculty. 2018). This tool mainly reflects the conceptual framework, within this care
promoters and nursing educators can take advantage of Q-methodology in order to effectively

gather strategy of tool. In addition with this, with the assistance of this tool clinical educators can
explore and collect numerous subjective opinions (Monteverde, 2014). Thus, by considering all
these measures educators can effectively able to overcome the negative impact of hidden
curriculum.
MAIN BODY
Critical Appraisal of Literature Review Including the Relevance and Application of Health
Professions Education
According to Annalisa Raso, Anna Marchetti and Daniela D'Angelo (2019), Hidden
Curriculum is defined as the set of unwritten, untold lessons, values and norms which are not
provided to an individual but the learning comes from the observation of the surrounding
environment of the individuals (The hidden curriculum in nursing education: a scoping study.
2019). It is not only for the students but also for the health care practitioners as well which could
also make improvement in their services and also in the ways of providing services. Learning is
also an important process which helps an individual in increasing their knowledge and skills.
These kinds of norms and values arises in an individual with the help of observations, in other
words, learning which helps an individual to understand the current environment and to have
knowledge about the ways to acquire the positive experiences but avoid the negative ones
(Karimi and et. al., 2015). At the time of providing training to students, they are not told about
everything such as keep silence in the class, listen carefully, pay attention and many more things
because of the maturity and increased understanding helps them to make differentiation in
between maturity and immaturity. Likewise, also in the cases of practitioners, they are not told
about taking care of their patients but they do because this is the only thing for which they are
paid and it is their duty to work for saving the life of their patients (Krautscheid, 2014).
Providing personal accountability to their patients is one of the most important thing of which

the doctors are not told but they do so because to provide them with better treatment by knowing
about the actual condition of the patient.
According to Hanneke Mulder, Edith ter Braak, H. Carrie Chen and Olle ten Cate (2018),
it is important for the health care practitioners as well as the students to have knowledge about
these concepts of hidden curriculum and should develop skills and knowledge which are
important for the professional and emotional growth of an individual whether any nursing
student or health care practitioner (Chen, 2015). But it is important for health care practitioner
and the nursing students to create feelings or emotions for their patients so that they could
provide them with the best possible services for their betterment and well being. This makes
improvement in the relationship in between the patient and health care practitioner more than
mere being a patient and doctor (Hafferty and O'Donnell, 2015). With the help of this, it is
possible for the health care practitioners to give the patients the best treatment according to their
situation and condition.
Along with this, there are also some negative consequences also which could impact
negatively on the ways of providing services to the patients by the health care practitioners and
in the pedagogical teaching ways which are very important for them to provide the treatment and
to learn many new things for the growth and development of the personal as professional identity
of the individuals (Balboni and et. al., 2015). The negative consequences are related to the low
quality of services provided by the health care practitioners and also of the low level of
knowledge of nursing students as well because they will also not be able to provide good
services to their patients impacting negatively not only on their personal but also on their
professional development as well (Whitcomb, 2014).

As the hidden curriculum is not the part of the course of study of an individual so it is
hard for those not concerned with their studies to know about the concept and importance of
these skills and knowledge which are important for an individual to have at the time of
performing some tasks or getting knowledge from the surrounding environment (Thomas and et.
al., 2016).
Critical Analysis of Literature Review
According to the perception of Chen (2015), by looking upon the different aspects on
hidden curriculum, importance of learning and the teaching ways in nursing and medical
education, it has become important for the health care practitioner and the nursing students to
have knowledge and must inherent those qualities in their nature (Hafferty and O'Donnell, 2015).
As with the help of these qualities, it will be possible for them to make improvement in their
personal and professional aspects of getting knowledge and providing services. Along with this,
the aspect explained above about the knowledge that comes from the observations made from the
surrounding environment is also true as the surrounding environment of one also helps in the
growth and development of their knowledge and skills (Balboni and et. al., 2015). However,
there are many experiences which are positive as well as negative which an individual has from
the surrounding environment with the help of which it will be possible for them to make
improvement or the loss of knowledge (Dutton and Sellheim, 2014). It is because of
consciousness of an individual towards the work performed, in case it is not up to the level than
in that case, it will not be possible for both the students as well as the health care practitioners to
get positive outcomes from their work. In case of lack of knowledge about the hidden
curriculum, it will also impact upon the personal identity of the individual also in the negative
way (Whitcomb, 2014). As the negative impact on the image of the individual will be created as

the individual is not aware with the normal norms, values and the way to behave and interact
with the other people so this will impact negatively on an individual.
On the other hand, it is also not easy to get inherit these skills and knowledge in the
minds of an individual because as they are not told so sometimes the individuals are not able to
judge their surrounding environment and also about their own reaction which they need to give
in a particular situation (Thomas and et. al., 2016). The way of giving education of a teacher also
plays an important role in making the individuals aware about these knowledge and skills. So
there is also a need to make improvement in the ways of providing knowledge and teaching for
the teachers as well so that the improvement in their learning ways could also be made.
Discussion on findings
From the overall concept of hidden curriculum in nursing education and via various
researcher point of view, it has been analysed that for developing a professional identity among
learners (medical students), health educators need to concern on the concept of hidden
curriculum (Dehghani, Salsali and Cheraghi, 2016). It refers to a learning dimension, which is
culturally acquired and made up of unintended lessons. Since, nurse educators are not much
aware of it i.e. how hidden curriculum impact on learners in preparing themselves as adult
professional roles and internalising professional values. Therefore, to create a professional
identity within learners, educators must concern on mapping the academic nursing education in
their pedagogical style of teaching (Hunter and Cook, 2018). For this process, they need to
identify and verify the four main areas that includes institutional policies, institutional slang,
resource allocation decisions and evaluation as hidden curriculum.
Hidden curriculum in healthcare or nursing education also consider as largely overlooked
topic, where literature reviewed in present assignment mostly highlights the negative
consequences of this concept (Leask, 2015). It includes difficulties of transmitting the

professional values as well as ethics by educators. Therefore, to develop educational programs,
hereby, researchers are concentrated more on how to turn negative consequences into positive
one, as a way for limiting the loss of professional values (Monteverde, 2014). For developing
educational programs in nursing education, it is also necessary for educators, administrators as
well as course planners to give serious attention towards formal curriculum, for delivering the
students a good placement opportunity throughout the program. Hereby, considering on some
important pedagogical principles like promoting a constructivist approach within pedagogical
style of teaching and learning; integrating the content like entry-to-practice competencies;
developing the knowledge required to earn professional identity etc. also aid in giving better
educational practices (Dutton and Sellheim, 2014). Another main principle that can be
constructed within structure and turning negative consequences into positive one, include person-
centredness, caring, healing and more. These principles are necessary and characterize as most
effective one for both nursing professionals and health promoters to develop professional
identities during academics. The nursing curriculum also concerns on communicated via
program’s philosophy that can be delivered through academic courses and their content that
demonstrating the desired outcomes as well (Karimi and et. al., 2015). By listening to students’
stories, delving into their experiences, and disentangling the explicit and implicit messages that
students receive while in the program, we can develop greater understanding and discernment
regarding the hidden curriculum in our nursing programs.
CONCLUSION
It has been concluded from this assignment that the term hidden curriculum in nursing or
medical education seems difficult to recognize and address. Every educational program that runs
for enhancing professional identities in a person, consists hidden curriculum activities that either

impact positively or negatively on learners. Therefore, to run any program, educators must
concern on making changes in pedagogies and implement effective practices. Therefore, to
create a professional identity within learners, educators must concern on mapping the academic
nursing education in their pedagogical style of teaching. For this process, they need to identify
and verify the four main areas that includes institutional policies, institutional slang, resource
allocation decisions and evaluation as hidden curriculum. In addition with this, it is important for
health care practitioner and the nursing students to create feelings or emotions for their patients
so that they could provide them with the best possible services for their betterment and well
being.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Balboni, M. J. & et. al. (2015). Religion, spirituality, and the hidden curriculum: medical student
and faculty reflections. Journal of pain and symptom management. 50(4). 507-515.
Chen, R. (2015). Do as we say or do as we do? Examining the hidden curriculum in nursing
education. Canadian Journal of Nursing Research Archive. 47(3).
Dehghani, A., Salsali, M., & Cheraghi, M. A. (2016). Professionalism in I ranian Nursing:
Concept Analysis. International journal of nursing knowledge. 27(2). 111-118.
Dutton, L. L., & Sellheim, D. O. (2014). The informal and hidden curriculum in physical
therapist education. Journal of Physical Therapy Education. 28(3). 50-63.
Hafferty, F. W., & O'Donnell, J. F. (Eds.). (2015). The hidden curriculum in health professional
education. Dartmouth College Press.
Hunter, K. and Cook, C., 2018. Role‐modelling and the hidden curriculum: New graduate nurses’
professional socialisation. Journal of clinical nursing. 27(15-16). pp.3157-3170.
Karimi, Z. & et. al. (2015). Resources of learning through hidden curriculum: Iranian nursing
students’ perspective. Journal of education and health promotion, 4.
Krautscheid, L. C. (2014). Defining professional nursing accountability: a literature
review. Journal of Professional Nursing. 30(1). 43-47.
Leask, B. (2015). Internationalizing the curriculum. Routledge.
Monteverde, S. (2014). Undergraduate healthcare ethics education, moral resilience, and the role
of ethical theories. Nursing ethics. 21(4). 385-401.
Thomas, P. A. & et. al. (Eds.). (2016). Curriculum development for medical education: a six-step
approach. JHU Press.
Whitcomb, T. L. (2014). Raising awareness of the hidden curriculum in veterinary medical
education: a review and call for research. Journal of veterinary medical education.
41(4). 344-349.
Online
Addressing the hidden curriculum in the clinical workplace: A practical tool for trainees and
faculty. 2018. [Online]. Available Through:
<https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/0142159X.2018.1436760>
The hidden curriculum in nursing education: a scoping study. 2019. [Online]. Available
Through: <https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/medu.13911>