Representation of the Process of Formation of Social Skills of Primary School Students Based on the Hidden Curriculum

Social skills are developed through exposure to social environments and a part of the education process that is implicit and unteachable (hidden curriculum) available to learners. This study aimed to represent the formation process of social skills in primary school students with the focus on hidden curriculum.

Therefore, a semi-structured interview was conducted using a qualitative method based on the Foundation's data theory, using a targeted sampling of 15 elementary school teachers in Mahabad city, until the theoretical saturation of the data. Data analysis was also done by continuous comparison method, through open, central and selective coding in the form of 9 general categories and 23 sub-categories under Max Kyuda version 2020 software. The data pattern of the foundation in this study was depicted through the graphic model (outputs of Max Kyuda).

The final model in the form of contextual factors includes; family, school and peers, process factors including; interaction with the environment, skill learning, changing and modifying behavior and training methods and consequent factors; including desirable social skills and undesirable social skills were extracted and categorized based on the three elements of the Strauss and Corbin (2008) model.

The results showed that social skills in students is a multi-dimensional process that requires a comprehensive and multi-faceted look at the educational system in the form of open curricula with an emphasis on the hidden curriculum and its functions (structure of educational centers, social atmosphere and family).