An Analysis of the Theoretical Background of the "Hidden Curriculum" Author: Po-Chang Chen

Abstract：

In the past two decades, many curriculum theorists, have voiced the suspicion that the curriculum field is moribund. Some of them, based on the humanistic point of view, have made effort to offer a new approach and paradigm for curri-culum research and practice. They are now in the name of "hidden curriculum" and as "the third force" in the field of curriculum studies.
Among them, there are three distinct subgroups-" Structural-Function-alism", "Phenomenological-Hermeneutics", and "Social Critical Theory". The first is still dressed on the positivism paradigm, but serving alternatively as a solu-tion for the crisis of the curriculum studies. The others are grounded on the diverse theoretical heritages such as phenomenology, hermeneutics, existentialism, psychoanalysis, critical theory, which are different from the dominant paradigm.
The purpose of this study is to analyze the theoretical backgrounds of the three groups of the "hidden curriculum" study. Implications for the developing frameworks of theory as well as the methodplogy suitable for our curriculum studies are also interpreted.

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