The learning sciences are an interdisciplinary field that studies how people learn and how to design environments that support effective learning. They bring together research and methods from psychology, education, neuroscience, computer science, sociology, and cognitive sciences to undertsand learning as a complex process that happens in the mind, in social interaction, and in cultural and technological contexts.

Educational Psychology is one of the foundations of the learning sciences. It contributes theories of motivation, cognition, emotion, and development that explain why and how learning occurs.

Within the learning sciences, a key concern is understanding why some learners engage deeply and persist through challenges while others disengage or give up. One area that illuminates this issue is motivation and self-regulated learning (SRL). Educational psychology, as a core branch of the learning sciences, contributes vital insights into this area by examining the cognitive, emotional, and social processes that drive learners to plan, monitor, and sustain their own learning. It helps explain how motivation and self-regulation interact to shape effective learning.

Educational psychology contributes conceptual clatity to motivation and SRL by framing learners as active agents in their own learning. Early behaviorist models focused on reinforcement, but modern educational psychology emphasizes internal psychological mechanisms. Self-Dtermination Theory (SDT) (Deci & Ryan, 1985) is one ofn the most influential frameworks in this regard. It posits that learners are motivated when their needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness are met. When educational environment support these needs, students display greater inrinsic motivation and persistence (Deci & Ryan, 2000).

Complementing this, Social Cognitive Theory (Bandura, 1997) introduces the concept of self-efficacy, or the belief in one's capability to perform tasks successfully. Research in educational psychology consistently shows that students with high self-efficacy are more likely to set challenging goals, exert effort, and recover from setbacks (Schunk & Pajares, 2009).

Emprirical evidence reinforces these perspective. Studies demonstrate that self-regulated learning strategies such as goal setting, self-monitoring, and reflective evaluation strongly predict academic success (Zimmerman, 2002; Panadero, 2017). Moreover, classroom-based studies confirm the predictions of SDT. For instance, Reeve (2012) found that autonomy-supportive teaching practices enhance student engagement and instrinsic motivation, whereas controlling environments diminish both. Similarly, meta-analyses by Dignath and Buttner (2018) show that when teachers explicitly teach self-regulated learning strategies - especially in math and reading- students exhibit better performance and self-efficacy. These findings underscore the practical value of educational psychology in designingn learning environments that cultivate motivation and independent learning. 

In conclusion, educational psychology deepens our understanding of the learning sciences by revealing how motivation and self-regulation shape learning outcomes. It provides not only empirical evidence but also interpretative frameworks that help teachers recognize and nurture these processes.

REFERENCES:

Bandura, A. (1997). Self-Efficacy: The Exercise of Control. W.H. Freeman

Bjork, R.A., & Bjork, E.L. (2011). Making Things hard on yourself, but in a good way: Creating desirable difficulties to enhance learning.Psychology and the Real World, 2, 56-64.

Deci, E.L. & Ryan, R.M. (1985), Intrinsic Motivation and Self-Determination in Human Behavior. Springer.

LINKS:

https://doi,org/10.1207/S15327965PLI1104_01

https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/8412343

https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00422

https://doi.org/10.1080/07370000802212669

https://doi.org/10.1080/00461520.2011.601721

https://doi,org/10.1207/s15430421tip4102_2