Research on Educational Sport

Providing the Model of Hidden Curriculum Management in Middle School Physical Education

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Hamidreza Mirsafian 1
Mohsen Vahdani 2
Mosayeb Mirhoseini 3

1 Associate Professor of Sport Management, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran

2 Assistant Professor of Sport Management, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran

3 Ph.D Student of Sport Management, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran

https://doi.org/10.22089/res.2025.17899.2635
Abstract
Background and Purpose
The education system, a cornerstone of society, plays an unparalleled role in fostering individuals' cultural, ethical, and social competencies. As the primary institutions of learning, schools exert a profound influence on educating and socializing students, thereby preparing them for effective civic participation. Accordingly, educational systems strive to address students' diverse educational, religious, physical, ethical, cultural, social, scientific, and skill-based needs across academic levels through varied curricular programs (Mokonka et al., 2023).
Curricula, constituting the core of educational systems, extend beyond formal, codified content. As Wilson's (2020) typology of 11 curricula (e.g., overt, societal, null, and received) illustrates, student learning within educational settings encompasses far more than teachers' pre-determined instruction. Hungmi (2019) further contends that formal learning represents only one component of the educational experience, with a significant portion attributable to the "hidden curriculum." This term denotes learning acquired through the prevailing culture of the educational environment, often unintentionally and without the explicit awareness of planners or instructors (Karner & Schneider, 2024). Unwritten and informally transmitted, the hidden curriculum emerges from the interactions, norms, values, and implicit expectations embedded in school and community life. Rousseau and Frick (2023) define it as the gap between the officially taught curriculum and what students actually learn, incorporating the attitudes, beliefs, and values cultivated within the classroom milieu.
Irrespective of teacher expertise or formal curricular advancements, students are invariably influenced by these hidden dimensions, gradually developing attitudes towards education and learning that persist throughout their lives (Karner & Schneider, 2024). Consequently, teacher awareness of these implicit influential factors is vital for mitigating the divergence between the formal and hidden curricula (Reisi Ahvan, 2021). Furthermore, actively engaging learners in instructional design and implementation can enhance the perceived value of learning activities, thereby fostering students' conscious and motivated pursuit of educational goals.​
Materials and Methods
This qualitative study employed a thematic analysis methodology, guided by the reflective approach advanced by Braun and Clarke (2006, 2012, 2019). Participants included 20 physical education specialists, professors, and teachers from Yazd province (Table 1). Reflecting the principle of theoretical saturation in qualitative research (Boyd, 2001, as cited in Creswell & Poth, 2016), a sample of approximately 10 participants is often deemed sufficient, with in-depth interviews recommended.
Inclusion criteria were: (1) experience as a physical education professor or teacher, (2) a minimum of a bachelor's degree, and (3) current or prior teaching at the secondary level. Notably, participants holding roles as university professors, principals, or administrators all possessed prior experience as secondary school physical education teachers, ensuring deep familiarity with the subject, its environment, and its distinctive characteristics.
Data were collected through semi-structured in-depth interviews, each lasting 20-60 minutes. The objective was to explore participants' in-depth perspectives and elicit rich, authentic data. Procedures followed established qualitative protocols: interview confidentiality was assured initially (Gruenewald, 2004), followed by an explanation of the research aims. Demographic questions were posed first (Patton, 2014), before proceeding to the core research questions. Follow-up questions were used to probe emerging themes. Interviews concluded with an invitation for participants to share any additional experiential insights. Member checking was employed, with the researcher summarizing key points for participant confirmation to ensure interpretive accuracy.
Data were analyzed using thematic analysis.​
Findings
The research findings revealed that the main dimensions of the hidden curriculum comprise three primary themes: hidden learning opportunities, challenges of the hidden curriculum, and operational strategies for managing the hidden curriculum. The hidden learning opportunities theme consisted of three sub-themes including social and life skills (10 concepts), ethical-cultural dimensions (4 concepts), and professional and specialized dimensions (5 concepts). Furthermore, the challenges theme contained four sub-themes: individual and familial (2 concepts), modeling (4 concepts), class disparity (2 concepts), and social threats (2 concepts). Operational strategies for managing the hidden curriculum was the third primary theme, encompassing six sub-themes: training and empowerment of families (3 concepts), training and empowerment of physical education teachers (4 concepts), optimal classroom management (6 concepts), the modeling role of the physical education teacher (5 concepts), the communicative role of the physical education teacher (9 concepts), and designing effective educational opportunities (7 concepts).​
Conclusion
Similar to all conducted research, this study had several limitations. The first limitation pertained to the data collection method, which was solely based on interviews. Utilizing other methods, such as observation, could have enriched the study. Therefore, it is recommended that future research incorporate other methodological approaches. The second limitation concerned the geographical scope of the study, which was confined to the city of Yazd. Given that various factors like culture, geographical conditions, etc., can influence the phenomenon of the hidden curriculum, it is suggested that future studies be conducted across a broader geographical area. The third limitation involved the research methodology, which was focused on a qualitative approach, resulting in a conceptual model of the main research phenomenon. Developing an operational management model that includes executive steps, evaluation indicators, and more complex relationships between components requires complementary research and potentially the use of mixed-methods or quantitative approaches.
This study demonstrates that the hidden curriculum in the physical education classroom is both a golden opportunity and a fundamental challenge. Positively leveraging its hidden dimensions can lead to the holistic development of students. Conversely, neglecting its negative aspects (such as peer pressure and inappropriate role models) can pose a threat to the educational process. The key to managing this curriculum lies in empowering teachers, employing intelligent instructional design, and establishing effective communication with students. Therefore, planners and teachers must strategically recognize this domain and actively guide it.​
Funding
This research received no external funding.
Authors' Contributions
All authors contributed effectively to the ideation, design, data collection, analysis of results, and writing of the article, and read and approved the final version of the article.
Conflicts of Interest
No potential conflict of interest were reported by the authors.
Acknowledgment
We would like to express our appreciation and gratitude to all physical education teachers, physical education course leaders, experts, and distinguished professors who participated in this research.​
 

Keywords

delinquency
puberty
remodeling
teacher

Subjects

 
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  • Receive Date 24 March 2025
  • Revise Date 13 July 2025
  • Accept Date 10 September 2025

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