The hidden curriculum in education : an additional learning challenge for certain students

Abstract

For our new teaching team, the establishment of a new nursing program at Cégep Gérald-Godin has been an opportunity to take another look at the values underlying our concerted educational approach. With a view to promoting the success of as many of our students as possible, several of which are new immigrants and unfamiliar with Quebec’s educational context, we wanted to use strategies that would foster the development of their professional judgment and reasoning ability. The diversity of students’ prior educational and school-related experiences in college and university classrooms today has resulted in students with a wide array of learning strategies, conceptions, and values. Some of these elements can constitute serious obstacles to learning when they diverge from what is expected in a particular program or on the job market. As teachers, we must not underestimate the potential impact of these factors on the success and interpersonal relationships of students as well as the consistency of their education. Do all education systems value critical thinking and its expression? Does everyone have the same understanding and perception of the autonomy we generally expect of students in higher education? Are all students comfortable with active learning? Are the inherent values of certain subjects and their issues taught explicitly, on par with technical, scientific, and practical knowledge (Raisky & Loncle, 1993)? Are the fundamental values behind the stance and paradigm in which teachers conceive their professional actions explicit enough to enable students to adjust their attitudes and behaviours and then go on to achieve academic success?