Schunk received the Albert J. Harris Research Award from the International Reading Association (1989), an Early Contributions Award from Division 15 (Educational Psychology) of the American Psychological Association (1982), and the Fulbright Distinguished American Scholar Award (1997). Before moving to Purdue, Schunk taught educational psychology at the University of Houston from 1979 to 1985 and at UNC-Chapel Hill from 1986 to 1993. He received his undergraduate education at the University of Illinois, and he earned an M.Ed. degree from Boston University and a Ph.D. from the Stanford Graduate School of Education.