Leadership

Harris Cooper, Ph.D.
Professor of Psychology and Director
Program in Education
Duke University

Dr. Harris Cooper, is a Professor in the Department of Psychology: Social and Health Sciences and the Director of the Program in Education at Duke University. Dr. Cooper holds a Ph.D. in social psychology from the University of Connecticut. He has extensive experience in research synthesis and the application of social psychology to educational policy. His book Synthesizing Research: A Guide for Literature Reviews (1998) is in its third edition and has sold nearly 20,000 copies. He also is the editor, with Larry Hedges, of the Handbook of Research Synthesis (1994). Dr. Cooper and his students have published research syntheses in varied prestigious journals, including Psychological Bulletin, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Review of Educational Research, Journal of Marketing Research, and Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology. Dr. Cooper's research synthesis Homework (1989) was the first research monograph published on the subject. His most recent homework research involved more than 700 students, their parents, and teachers. In 2000, his monograph Making the Most of Summer School, a synthesis of nearly 100 summer school program evaluations, was published by the Society for Research on Child Development. Dr. Cooper's research has had an impact on educational policies and practices nationwide. He travels widely to speak with parents, teachers, and administrators about homework, summer school, and modified school calendars. He is author of a best-selling guide on homework policy and practice, The Battle over Homework: Common Ground for Administrators, Teachers, and Parents (2001). In January 2003, Dr. Cooper became Editor for the Psychological Bulletin and will serve through 2008. The Bulletin is widely regarded as the premiere outlet for systematic reviews in the social and behavioral sciences. From 1992 to 1998, Dr. Cooper served on the Board of Education for Columbia, Missouri. This board serves about 16,000 students attending more than two dozen schools operating on a budget of over $100 million.

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