While part of what is learned during a postsecondary education is the course curriculum, students also absorb “meta-lessons” about knowledge itself during their education, writes Michael Schwalbe (North Carolina State University). Schwalbe argues that these meta-lessons are important to understand because of their impacts on learners’ intellectual processes and civic behaviour. The author outlines seven crucial meta-lessons that a postsecondary education provides learners with, including the distinct differences between empirical claims and moral claims, the importance of weighting evidence, and the reliability and value of hard-won expertise. In his conclusion, Schwalbe calls for more spotlighting of the benefits of this “hidden curriculum” for everyone.
