We are still to learn from our learners: A hidden curriculum developed during the covid-19 pandemic

The present study was conducted to explore various aspects of the hidden curriculum in virtual instruction during the Covid-19 pandemic. Participants were 30 undergraduate students of educational sciences in a major state university in Iran. In this qualitative phenomenological study, data were collected via semi-structured interviews, and analyzed according to Strauss and Corbin's outline by open and axial coding. Nine major themes emerged: academic burnout, decreased academic resilience, self-directed learning, the prominence of the content, power distance between faculty and students, academic procrastination, academic dishonesty, educational inequality, and academic help seeking. Results showed that virtual instruction during the Covid-19 pandemic had created a hidden curriculum, impacting students' performance in academic and motivational areas. Students had also developed diverse attitudes towards education, their own learning, and teachers' practice.

Automated summary

This study explored various aspects of the hidden curriculum in virtual instruction during the Covid-19 pandemic. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews with 30 undergraduate students of educational sciences in Iran and analyzed using Strauss and Corbin's outline. Nine major themes emerged, including academic burnout, decreased academic resilience, self-directed learning, power distance between faculty and students, academic dishonesty, and educational inequality. Results showed that virtual instruction during the Covid-19 pandemic had a significant impact on students' performance and attitudes towards education, learning, and teachers' practice.