Welcome to the Department of Educational Psychology at the
University of Wisconsin-Madison

Our department develops and applies cutting-edge scientific knowledge concerning: the psychological and social processes that underlie learning; the design of effective instruction; and the factors affecting the mental health of learners of all ages; and the methodological tools required to generate this knowledge.

We are the No. 1 Educational Psychology program in the nation, according to U.S. News and World Report’s 2009 edition of America’s Best Graduate Schools.

The department offers Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in Educational Psychology. The MS and PhD programs provide comprehensive knowledge of the field and intensive specialization in four areas of study and research: learning sciences, human development, quantitative methods, and school psychology.

Latest News

Learning Sciences Professor David W. Shaffer: Assessing Learning in the 21st Century

In computer games, students can learn by solving problems that are realistic, complex, and meaningful. So games have great potential to teach the kind of thinking that young people need in the digital age, says UW-Madison education professor David Williamson Shaffer. But after years of designing and testing digital learning environments emphasizing learning in action, Shaffer has turned to the problem of assessment.

Games, simulations, and other digital tools have the power to revolutionize learning, letting students work in challenging, real-world situations. But standardized tests focus on basic facts and skills, which are only part of what it takes to solve real-world problems. So Shaffer and his research team at UW-Madison have been asking: How can we assess the digital learning that happens in educational games?

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