A Study on the Hidden Curriculum in Classroom Atmosphere of the Basic Education Level In the Teaching Profession Development Network Schools of Rajabhat Maha Sarakham University

Abstract

The research aimed to: 1) study perceptions of phenomena of teachers and students in classroom
atmosphere; 2) study teachers’ expectations and students’ perception of teachers’ expectations from
phenomena in classroom atmosphere; and, 3) study hidden curriculums from phenomena in classroom
atmosphere. The key informants were teachers and students of the basic education level in the teaching profession
development network schools of Rajabhat Maha Sarakham University. The number of the key informants
was determined according to W.G. Cochran’s formula for infinite population, and Taro Yamane’s method,
and the key informants were chosen through purposive sampling. The research was carried out in 2 phases.
Phase 1 dealt with the study on phenomena, teachers’ expectations, and students’ perceptions from the
phenomena found in classroom atmosphere; and Phase 2 dealt with the study on teaches’ expectations,
students’ perceptions of the teachers’ expectations, and the hidden curriculums in the classroom atmosphere.
The research instruments comprised: 1) a form for learning organization plan analysis, 2) an interview form
for the teachers, 3) a teaching observation form, 4) a questionnaire for the teachers, and 5) a questionnaire
for the students. The analysis of data employed the descriptive statistics of frequency and percentage.The
results revealed the following :
1. The study on perceptions of phenomena in classroom atmosphere of teachers and students included
89 items of phenomena in the classroom atmosphere and they can be categorized as follows: 1) instructional
activities, having 17 items, 2) measurement and evaluation, having 22 items, 3) environment, media and learning
resources, having 11 items, 4) pattern of action, having 23 items, and 5) symbolic language, having 16
items, there were 13 items of the phenomena in classroom atmosphere that were perceived by 80 percent
or more of the teachers and students. The top 3 of these phenomena were: dressed modestly; be punctual
in teaching; and using “teacher” to refer to his or her own self.
2. The study of teachers’ expectations and students’ perceptions of the teachers’ expectations
from the phenomena in classroom atmosphere on 5 aspects, 267 items altogether. It was found that the
top 10 teachers’ expectations from the phenomena in classroom atmosphere were as follows: the 1st
ranking expectation was the expectation of having a standard evaluation, from the phenomenon of
setting the evaluation criteria, and the 10th ranking expectation was the expectation of motivating
students to submit their assignments in time, from the phenomenon of not accepting overdue assignments.
Meanwhile, the students’ perceptions of the top 10 of the teachers’ expectations from the phenomena
in classroom atmosphere revealed the 1st perception was perceiving that the students had learned the
right content and points, from the phenomenon of lecturing; and the 10th perception was perceiving that
the purpose was to evaluate the basic knowledge of the students, from the phenomenon of pretesting.
3. In the study on the hidden curriculums which were perceived by the students or the students had
learned from the phenomena in the classroom atmosphere which were different from the teachers’ expectations,
from the phenomena on 5 aspects, 178 items altogether, positive hidden curriculums and negative hidden
curriculums were found in the top 10 curriculums. To elaborate this, the 1st positive hidden curriculum was
learning how to work systematically, which was learning resulting from the phenomenon of informing about
the objectives of teaching, and the 10th positive hidden curriculum was learning the characteristic of being
eager to know, which was learning from the phenomenon of pretesting. Meanwhile, the 1st negative hidden
curriculum was learning to learn by receiving knowledge, from the phenomenon of lecturing; and the 10th
negative hidden curriculum was learning the negative attitude toward the subject being learned, which was
learning from the phenomenon of teaching more content as described by the curriculum.