Reimagining Education: Hidden Curricula, Criticality, and Collaboration

• In Event: Saturday Roundtable Session 1
  In Paper Session: Revolution or Reproduction? Reimagining Education

Abstract

Michael Apple and William Ayers challenge the ways hidden curricula and educational hierarchies perpetuate social stratification, calling for a radical reimagining of learning spaces. This paper critically examines their contributions to educational thought, exploring how their work invites educators to dismantle dominant power structures in both formal and informal education. Through an analysis of Apple’s critiques of ideological control in schooling and Ayers’ advocacy for transformative, justice-oriented pedagogy, this study highlights strategies for resisting the reproduction of inequities. Findings suggest that moving away from hierarchical, standardized schooling models toward more democratic and student-centered approaches fosters critical consciousness and educational emancipation. By engaging Apple and Ayers’ perspectives, this paper contributes to the ongoing discourse on how schools can become sites of liberation rather than control, challenging educators to rethink the very foundations of teaching, learning, and knowledge production.

Author

• Rebecca Altidor, Kansas State University