Hidden or implicit curriculum (Flinders, Noddings, & Thornton, 1986):

Revealed through the multiplicity of knowledges (or absence thereof), values, beliefs, norms (etc.,) presented (often unintentionally) by the instructor
E.g., collaboration skills, punctuality, submitting assignments on time

Null curriculum (Quinn, 2010):

Considers what is left out of curriculum and how it negatively impacts student learning
Instructors must make decisions about what content is covered
These decisions are not neutral

Curriculum of Violence

The hidden and null curriculum unintentionally create a Curriculum of Violence (Ighodaro & Wiggin, 2011). Traditional pedagogies can harm students' learning and their ability to see themselves reflected in the curriculum (Jones, 2020).

Violence in this sense refers to psychological harm, emotionally and/or intellectually. Anti-Indigenous and anti-Black Racism, Hetrosexism, Ableism, Colonialism, Racism, Sexism, Classism and all forms of state-sanctioned oppression are forms of violence.

Infographic of systemic discrimination — eLM graphics

Click here for an Infographic Description

Systemic discrimination is supported by norms and values that are intentionally or unintentionally taught or omitted by educators. Some examples of these norms and values are: colonialism, classism, ageism, ableism, heterosexism, white supremacy, hetero-patriarchy, patriarchy and capitalism.

The underlying systemic discrimination into which members of society are socialized is supported by norms and values, which then inform the choices instructors intentionally or unintentionally make in selecting what is explicitly and implicitly taught as well as what is excluded. What is taught and what is not taught both reinforce the systems of white supremacist domination that operate in the larger society.

System discrimination is supported by norms and values that are intentionally or unintentionally taught or omitted by educators.