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| David Perkins | |
|---|---|
| Name | David Perkins |
| Birth date | 1937 |
| Birth place | United States |
| Fields | Cognitive psychology, Educational psychology |
| Workplaces | Harvard University, Project Zero |
| Alma mater | Harvard Graduate School of Education, Harvard College |
| Known for | "Teaching for Understanding", research on thinking, metacognition, learning |
David Perkins
David Perkins (born 1937) is an American cognitive psychologist and educational psychologist known for work on thinking, understanding, and creativity. He helped found influential initiatives at Harvard University and contributed to curriculum and instructional design used by institutions such as Museum of Science (Boston), Carnegie Corporation of New York, and international education programs. Perkins's work intersects with scholars and institutions including Howard Gardner, Jerome Bruner, Project Zero, and National Academy of Education.
Perkins was born in the United States and attended Harvard College before earning graduate degrees at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. During his formative years he studied under figures associated with cognitive science, developmental psychology, and educational reform, aligning his trajectory with movements in progressive education and research networks that included Jerome Bruner and Benjamin Bloom.
Perkins joined the faculty of Harvard Graduate School of Education and became a central figure at Project Zero, an initiative of Harvard University focused on cognition and learning in the arts and sciences. He collaborated with scholars such as Howard Gardner and organizations including the Carnegie Corporation of New York and the Ford Foundation on curriculum projects and policy advising. Perkins served on boards and panels for institutions like the National Education Association and engaged with museums such as the Museum of Science (Boston) to translate research into public practice.
Perkins's research examined thinking skills, metacognition, and transferable understanding, advancing concepts such as "teaching for understanding" and "good work." He explored creative problem-solving in contexts examined by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi and pragmatic dimensions of expertise discussed by Herbert Simon. His frameworks drew on empirical methods from cognitive psychology and case-based approaches associated with researchers like Donald Schön and Lee Shulman. Perkins emphasized applications across settings including classrooms influenced by John Dewey's legacy, museum education promoted by Ellenbogen-style programming, and policy contexts framed by National Academy of Education studies.
Perkins authored and edited books and articles distributed through academic and practitioner channels. Major works include texts that articulated "teaching for understanding" and analyses of "good thinking" and "creative learning," cited alongside works by Howard Gardner and Jerome Bruner. His publications appeared in venues connected to Harvard University Press and journals frequented by scholars in cognitive science and educational research. He produced influential monographs and reports used by educators, museum professionals, and policy-makers affiliated with organizations such as the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.
Perkins received recognition from educational and scholarly bodies including fellowships and awards associated with Harvard University and national organizations in education research. He participated in panels convened by the National Academy of Education and received honors that placed him among prominent figures in cognitive psychology and educational innovation alongside contemporaries like Howard Gardner and Jerome Bruner.
Perkins's legacy persists through initiatives at Project Zero, curricular frameworks used in schools and museums worldwide, and influence on generations of educators and researchers connected to Harvard Graduate School of Education. His ideas about understanding, transfer, and good work continue to be referenced in dialogues involving education policy stakeholders, curriculum designers affiliated with the Carnegie Corporation of New York, and interdisciplinary teams drawing on cognitive science and the humanities.
Category:American psychologists Category:Harvard University faculty