THE HIDDEN CURRICULUM AND MORAL DEVELOPMENT IN SECONDARY EDUCATION: AN INTEGRATIVE CONCEPTUAL ANALYSIS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.63878/qrjs1116Keywords:
hidden curriculum, moral development, secondary education, Kohlberg, Bandura, Vygotsky, Tarbiyyah, school culture, character formation.Abstract
Hidden curriculum refers to the implicit transmission of values, behavioral norms, and social expectations through institutional practices rather than formal instructional content. This conceptual paper examines the role of hidden curriculum in shaping the moral development of secondary school students by drawing on established theoretical frameworks, including Kohlberg’s (1984) stages of moral reasoning, Bandura’s (1977) social-cognitive theory, Dewey’s (1916) experiential philosophy of education, and Vygotsky’s (1978) sociocultural theory.
A systematic synthesis of literature (1968–2024) indicates that moral development is primarily influenced through lived school experiences, including teacher behavior, peer culture, institutional structures, and classroom practices. Findings show that alignment between formal and hidden curriculum strengthens moral reasoning, prosocial behavior, and civic responsibility, whereas inconsistency between the two leads to ethical confusion, disengagement, and weakened moral agency.
The study further integrates Islamic educational philosophy through the concept of Tarbiyyah, emphasizing moral development as a holistic, environmental, and relational process. The analysis highlights the convergence between Islamic and Western perspectives in recognizing the importance of environment and moral modeling in education.
The paper concludes with recommendations for teachers, school leaders, curriculum developers, and policymakers to consciously design and align hidden curriculum with desired moral and educational outcomes.
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