Northern Illinois University

Leadership, Educational Psychology and Foundations

Educational Psychology

  • What are good ways to study?
  • What motivates students?
  • How can students become self-regulated learners?
  • How do developmental differences affect performance in math and science?
  • Are tests really fair?
  • Does problem-based learning help or harm students? How? Why?

These are examples of the kinds of questions that educational psychologists seek to answer as they study learning, motivation, and development.

Although perhaps best known for studying children in school settings, educational psychologists also are concerned with learning and teaching from infancy through old age in school and outside of school.