Episode 25: Navigating the Hidden Curriculum

Guests: Lyn Macgregor

To close out the year, Molly Harris sits down with Lyn Macgregor, Director of Undergraduate Studies in the Department of Sociology. They explore a resource that Lyn and her colleagues created to help instructors uncover the hidden curriculum for students. These innovative modular slide decks feature local examples and reflection questions, all designed to help students navigate unspoken academic norms and expectations. Listen to learn more and explore the slides below!

See the transcript for this episode.

The L&S Exchange Podcast is brought to you by L&S Teaching & Learning Administration and produced by the Instructional Design Collaborative. This podcast is recorded on ancestral Ho-Chunk land, a place their nation has called Teejop (day-JOPE) since time immemorial.

Access the Hidden Curriculum Slides

This set of 15 short slide decks can be used to share elements of the hidden curriculum with your students. Each deck takes only 5-7 minutes to present in class. Pick and choose the most relevant decks or use them all in order. You can download the slides or make a copy to adapt them for your course.

Join the Conversation

How did this episode make you think? What’s on your mind about inclusive teaching? Leave us a message on Spotify for Podcasters, respond to a poll using the Spotify app on your mobile device, reply with a comment at the bottom of this post, or send us an email. We may ask to feature your contribution in this or a future episode.

Conversation Starters

1. Lyn shared several examples of the hidden curriculum in this episode. Which examples might be most relevant to your students?
2. Consider the structure of the courses you teach. When and how could you incorporate more information about the hidden curriculum to help students?
3. How might including content about the hidden curriculum in lecture help you create a stronger connection with students?
4. Browse through the slide decks. What topics do you want to learn more about? Where might you go on campus to learn more? Are there additional topics you would like to cover with your students?

Further Reading & Resources

In this episode we mentioned, were inspired by, or wondered about the following resources and topics.

• UW Professor of Sociology Jessica Calarco’s book, A Field Guide to Grad School: Uncovering the Hidden Curriculum, is available online through UW Libraries.

• In L&S Exchange Episode 10: The First Day of Class, we explore other perspectives on the hidden curriculum with three L&S instructors. The first day of class can be an important time to make known the expectations and norms for your course.

Production Credits