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Project Zero, a research group at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, has investigated the development of learning processes in children, adults, and organizations since 1967. Today, Project Zero is building on this research to help create communities of reflective, independent learners; to enhance deep understanding within disciplines; and to promote critical and creative thinking. Project Zero's mission is to understand and enhance learning, thinking, and creativity in the arts, as well as humanistic and scientific disciplines, at the individual and institutional levels. The research programs are based on a detailed understanding of human cognitive development and of the process of learning in the arts and other disciplines. They place the learner at the center of the educational process, respecting the different ways in which an individual learns at various stages of life, as well as differences among individuals in the ways they perceive the world and express their ideas. Project Zero was founded at the Harvard Graduate School of Education in 1967 by the philosopher Nelson Goodman to study and improve education in the arts. Goodman believed that arts learning should be studied as a serious cognitive activity, but that "zero" had been firmly established about the field; hence, the project was given its name. For a more detailed history, especially of the last decade, please see, Ten Years at Project Zero: A Report on 1993-2002. David Perkins and Howard Gardner served as co-directors of Project Zero from 1972 to July 1, 2000, when Dr. Steve Seidel, an expert on alternative student assessment, was named Director. Currently a lecturer on education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, Seidel joined HPZ in 1987. In his research, he has explored teachers' reflective practices, the close examination of student work, and documentation of learning. Howard Gardner and David Perkins continue their active involvement with HPZ through their research and on its steering committee. Over the years, Project Zero has maintained a strong research commitment in the arts while gradually expanding its concerns to include education across all disciplines—not just for the individual, but for whole classrooms, schools, and other educational and cultural organizations. Much of its work takes place in American public schools, particularly those that serve disadvantaged populations. An increasing amount of work takes place in schools and other educational and cultural organizations overseas. Project Zero's work is documented extensively in a variety of publications and materials by Principal Investigators and other Project Zero researchers. In addition, Project Zero offers symposia and workshops, most notably the annual summer institute. |
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[Project Zero] [Research Projects] [History of Project Zero ] [Principal Investigators] [Summer Institute] [Products and Services] [eBookstore] Copyright © 2008 by the President and Fellows of Harvard College. Project Zero, Harvard Graduate School of Education, 124 Mount Auburn Street, Fifth Floor, Cambridge, MA 02138, Phone: 617-495-4342, Fax: 617-495-9709 |