The Unseen Factors in Educational Settings: Analysing the Hidden Curriculum of a Faculty of Education

This qualitative case study examines the hidden curriculum of a faculty of education, exploring how students, instructors and the learning environment implicitly shape professional identity and classroom culture. Data were collected through non participant classroom observations in 17 sections across four grade levels and semi structured interviews with 34 students; descriptive and content analyses were used jointly to ensure methodological triangulation. Observational findings indicate that female students are more visible and self-confident in class; that intense grouping and competition, often attributed to relative grading, can weaken peer communication; and that most instructors are perceived as accessible, supportive role models, although there is variation in openness to criticism and democratic–authoritarian tendencies. Perceived inadequacies in material resources convey implicit messages suggesting limited institutional value placed on research and learning environments. Observations further show that, while no explicit gender role is apparent in classrooms, female students stand out due to their numerical predominance, and most students treat one another with respect. These results are important for revealing the impact of the hidden curriculum on classroom dynamics, instructor–student relationships and the learning environment in the faculty under study.