Vol. 1, Issue 1

Abstract

The hidden curriculum is an oft-neglected aspect in curriculum evaluation due to its implicit nature and the lack of a concrete methodology for evaluating it. However, the elements of socialization it provides are critical to character development especially in the early years of schooling where significant cognitive, social, and emotional skills are being developed. This study thus aimed to evaluate the hidden curriculum and its impact on the character development of preschool students. The hidden curriculum was evaluated using the Illuminative Evaluation Model. The instructional system and learning milieu were examined through document analysis of school documents, observations of classroom instruction, and interviews among teachers, school personnel, and administration. Progressive focusing on culled issues was conducted through surveys, structured observations, and focus-group discussions. Themes derived were organized to describe the hidden curriculum and its impact on character development. The hidden curriculum emerged in the following aspects: the forms of inculcation of school values and principles; approaches to character development; structures facilitating readiness for formal schooling practices; physical environment and organization; and teacher-administrator relationships. In conclusion, the hidden curriculum was found to influence character development by working implicitly in the accomplishment of the school’s goals, or unintentionally in the frustration of these goals.