• Research on learning and instruction, including self-regulated learning, learning with multimedia, cognitive load, higher education, teacher training, problem solving
• Research methods and competence assessment

• Instructional psychology
• Empirical research methods

• Member, DFG Senat (2009-2015)
• Founding Director, Center for Empirical Educational Research, Duisburg-Essen University (2008-2012)
• Speaker, DFG Priority Program 1293 "Models of Competencies" (2007- 2014; together with E. Klieme)
• Member, Executive Board of the "Institute for Educational Progress" (IQB, Berlin, 2004+)
• Member, PISA 2012 Problem Solving Expert Group and German PISA 2003 Consortium
• Member, project team "Hochrisikophase" (since 2014), project team „Preparation of Learner Drivers“ (2010-2012), project team „Accompanied Driving“ (2002-2004), Bundesanstalt für Straßenwesen (BASt)

• DFG Research Unit “Academic learning and study success in the entry phase of science and technology study programs (ALSTER)”
• DFG Research Group & Graduate School „nwu-essen"
• BMBF Project „Broad Pedagogical Knowledge and the Acquisition of Professional Competence in Teacher Candidates
• "Mercator Project "Ganz In - All Day-Schools for a Brighter Future. The New All-Day Secondary School in NRW"

• Brünken, R., Plass, J. L. & Leutner, D. (2003). Direct measurement of cognitive load in multimedia learning. Educational Psychologist, 38, 53–61. https://doi.org/10.1207/S15326985EP3801_7
• Dicke, T., Parker, P. D., Marsh, H. W., Kunter, M., Schmeck, A., & Leutner, D. (2014). Self-efficacy in classroom management, classroom disturbances, and burnout: A latent moderated mediation analysis. Journal of Educational Psychology, 106, 569-583. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0035504
• Höffler, T.N ., & Leutner, D. (2007). Instructional animations versus static pictures: a meta-analysis. Learning & Instruction, 17, 722–238. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.learninstruc.2007.09.013
• Leutner, D. (2014). Motivation and emotion as mediators in multimedia learning. Learning and Instruction, 29, 174–175. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.learninstruc.2013.05.004
• Leutner, D., Fleischer, J., Grünkorn, J. & Klieme, E. (Eds.). (2017). Competence assessment in education – research, models, and instruments. New York: Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-50030-0
• Leutner, D., Leopold, C. & Sumfleth, E. (2009). Cognitive load and science text comprehension: Effects of drawing and mentally imagining text content. Computers in Human Behavior, 25, 284-289. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2008.12.010
• Leutner, D. & Plass, J.L. (1998). Measuring learning styles with questionnaires versus direct observation of preferential choice behavior: Development of the Visualizer/Verbalizer Behavior Observation Scale (VV-BOS). Computers in Human Behavior, 14, 543-557. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0747-5632(98)00023-5
• Plass, J. L., Chun, D., Mayer, R. E. & Leutner, D. (1998). Supporting visualizer and verbalizer learning preferences in a second language multimedia learning environment. Journal of Educational Psychology, 90, 25-36. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/0022-0663.90.1.25
• Schwamborn, A., Mayer, R. E., Thillmann, H., Leopold, C., & Leutner, D. (2010). Drawing as a generative activity and drawing as a prognostic activity. Journal of Educational Psychology, 104, 872–879. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/a0019640
• Wirth, J., Stebner, F., Trypke, M., Schuster, C. & Leutner, D. (2020). An interactive layers model of self-regulated learning and cognitive load. Educational Psychology Review, 32, 1127-1149. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-020-09568-4

2019
„Award for the promotion of the multidisciplinarity educational research“, by Society for Empirical Educational Research (GEBF) (together with Elke Sumfleth and Hans E. Fischer)

2012
Dr. h.c. award by Freiburg University of Education 

2008 - 2012
Director of the Duisburg-Essen University Center for Empirical Educational Research

since 2002
Full Professor for Instructional Psychology,
Duisburg-Essen University

1993 - 2002
Full Professor for Instructional Psychology, Erfurt University

1992
"Habilitation" & venia legendi for Psychology, Aachen University of Technology

1990 - 1993
Associate Professor for Psychological Research Methods, Giessen University

1981 - 1990
Assistant Professor for Educational Psychology, Lecturer, and Research Assistant, Dept. of Education, Aachen University of Technology

1985
Ph.D. in Education, Psychology & Philosophy, Aachen University of Technology

1981
Degree in Psychology (Diploma), Aachen University of Technology