Educating for Understanding: A Guide to the Video Series

This comprehensive professional development program filmed at Harvard University presents the work of Project Zero, a research group at the Graduate School of Education that explores the development of learning in children, adults and organisations. Through this video series and accompanying staff development guide, Project Zero staff provides an examination of how understanding can be viewed, taught, assessed and deepened. Former co-directors Project Zero Howard Gardiner and David Perkins present a foundation upon which the concept of understanding can be more fully explored, evaluated and enhanced. Presenting in this series are many senior researchers from Project Zero. Topics range from The Mindful Classroom to Rubrics for Thinking and Understanding. Project Zero researchers, internationally renowned in the field of teaching and learning, provide a complete package to teachers and staff developers who are committed to improving understanding in all environments for learners of all ages. Contents of Guide: This accompanying professional development guide provides valuable ideas and resources on how to use the video material in effective ways. Educating for Understanding is a set of eight videos filmed at Project Zero's annual summer institute for educators at Harvard's Graduate School of Education. The content is based on research about teaching and learning for understanding that was conducted at Project Zero between 1989-1996. The guide, designed for use with the video series, offers background about the topics and context of the videos, and it suggests practical ways for teachers and administrators to use them for all subjects and grade levels. The videos, coupled with the suggestions for facilitators, lists of resources, and handouts provided in the guide, can serve as the basis for a program of professional development designed to enhance educational practices and help students develop flexible understanding of important topics.