Meaning, Identity, and Cognitive framing in Value-Oriented Education

Religious education in formal settings operates not only through explicit curricular content but significantly through the hidden curriculum, which is instrumental in transmitting meaning, identity, and values; this curriculum consists of implicit messages conveyed via classroom dynamics, pedagogical practices, and the institutional response to questioning, exerting a profound influence on the cognitive and identity development of children and adolescents (Jackson, ۱۹۶۸). Viewing this phenomenon through cognitive and educational psychology, this analysis focuses on the core concept of meaning appropriation, defined as a reductive process where open, human-centered concepts—such as inquiry, morality, identity, and spirituality—are narrowed down to fixed, non-negotiable interpretations. From the standpoint of Schema Theory and Cognitive Load Theory (Sweller, ۱۹۸۸), excessive emphasis on ritualized repetition and restrictions on questioning inhibit deep meaning processing, favoring the acquisition of surface-level learning over meaningful integration. Furthermore, limiting opportunities for identity redefinition during adolescence poses a developmental risk, as drawing upon Erikson’s theory of identity development (Erikson, ۱۹۶۸), such curtailment can lead to identity fragmentation or the adoption of reactive, extreme stances, since the necessary space for self-redefinition is blocked. Ultimately, the analytical findings suggest that meaning appropriation is often facilitated not through direct coercion, but through subtle cognitive and emotional mechanisms embedded within the hidden curriculum, thus stressing the necessity of a psychological re-examination of religious education pedagogy that prioritizes the cultivation of personal meaning-making, robust inquiry, and genuine cognitive understanding.

کلیدواژه ها:

Meaning Appropriation ، Identity Formation ، Hidden Curriculum ، Cognitive Autonomy ، Meaning-making ، Cognitive development ، Identity ، Value-oriented education