Teaching and Learning for Understanding

How can we ensure that our learners are engaged in learning that is meaningful to them—both now and in the future—and that lasts beyond the test? 

Most educators, as well as decades of research, recognize the importance of teaching for understanding—and how challenging it can be. Despite everyone's best efforts, many students still lack understanding of key concepts. Why does this gap persist? Educators in this course will explore Project Zero's Teaching for Understanding framework and develop strategies to assist them in improving their students' understanding.
 

Overview

The future for which we are preparing our students is filled with challenges and complexity. Developing transferable knowledge and skills that students can apply in situations and contexts they have never encountered before is key, which means that teaching needs to go beyond the simple acquisition of information and content. In this course, you will consider three core questions:

• What is most important for my students to understand?
• What kinds of learning experiences will best help them develop and use that understanding flexibly and thoughtfully?
• How will I (and my students) know how much and how well they have understood?

As you keep these three questions central to your engagement with material in the course, you will have the opportunity to:

• Explore the differences between "knowing" and "understanding"
• Learn the components of the Teaching for Understanding framework and how to adapt and apply them in your classroom or learning context
• Consider the challenges and obstacles to teaching and learning for understanding and how to respond to them
   

Who Should Participate

• Teachers, teacher leaders, and school administrators and leaders
• Museum educators and educators working in informal learning environments
• Facilitators of pre-K to adult learning
   

Time Commitment

Anticipate a workload of 2.5-3 hours per week for four weeks. The course provides 12 total hours of professional learning. During each session: 

• Team Meeting: This 1-hour live, synchronous team meeting happens every week, scheduled and facilitated by the team members with PZ-designed agenda. 
• Reading, Practice, and Assignments: Plan remaining time for reading and individual reflections/assignments. If you are not currently working in a school or educational organization, you will need a classroom context or a consistent group of students with whom you can try out/practice the ideas you are learning throughout the course.
   

Schedule

Each weekly session opens on a Monday and ends on a Sunday. Participants decide when to work on the course material and when to schedule their team meetings within each session.

• Session 1: January 25-January 31, 2027
• Session 2: February 1-February 7, 2027
• Session 3: February 8-February 14, 2027
• Session 4: February 15-February 21, 2027
   

Tuition, Discounts, and Financial Aid

For mini courses (four sessions, four weeks), the tuition is: 

• $355 for educators joining as part of a team (three to six members from the same organization) 
• $385 for educators joining as part of a team of two (from the same organization) who will be placed on a virtual team with other teams of two (as attendance allows) 
• $399 for educators joining as individuals to be placed on a virtual team

Financial aid is limited and awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, and typically covers 50-70% of a course's tuition for eligible educators. Applications must be submitted and accepted prior to registration. Review our financial aid criteria.
 

Questions?

Visit the FAQs page for more information on PZ online courses, or email pzlearn@gse.harvard.edu.