Which statement correctly differentiates covert from overt curriculum?

• A. Overt curriculum refers to hidden attitudes learned implicitly
• B. Covert curriculum includes official learning objectives
• C. Covert curriculum encompasses hidden attitudes and norms learned implicitly
• D. Overt curriculum is only about classroom management

Answer: (C)

Understanding the difference between what is officially planned for students and what they absorb through daily school life is the key idea. The overt curriculum is the explicit, documented part: the subjects taught, the learning objectives, the activities, and the assessments designed to achieve those goals. The covert curriculum, on the other hand, covers the hidden messages students pick up through the classroom culture—attitudes, norms, values, and expectations that aren’t written in the syllabus but are learned through interactions, teacher behavior, peer dynamics, and the overall climate of the learning environment.

The statement that correctly differentiates them says that the covert curriculum encompasses hidden attitudes and norms learned implicitly. This captures how much of what students internalize comes from social cues and implicit messaging rather than from explicit instruction.

Why the others don’t fit: official learning objectives and content belong to the overt curriculum, not covert; covert isn’t about official objectives; and saying overt is only about classroom management narrows it incorrectly to a single aspect, ignoring the formal content and goals that define the overt curriculum.