Biography
Dr. Erkan Er is a faculty member in the Department of Computer Education and Instructional Technology (CEIT) at the Faculty of Education, Middle East Technical University (METU). He completed his undergraduate degree in CEIT at METU and his master's degree in Information Systems at the METU Graduate School of Informatics. He earned his PhD in Learning, Design, and Technology at the University of Georgia in the United States, and, after his doctorate, worked as a researcher at the Universidad de Valladolid in Spain under a European Commission Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowship (MSCA-IF).
His research focuses on learning analytics, artificial intelligence in education, the integration of large language models into educational settings, dialogue-based peer feedback, computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL), and student interaction patterns on digital platforms. His work on modeling student behavior and process mining through the analysis of online learning environments, massive open online courses (MOOCs), and video-based interaction logs informs the theory and practice of technology-enhanced instructional design. His academic output has been published in leading international journals in the field, including Computers & Education, British Journal of Educational Technology, Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, and Interactive Learning Environments, and has received over 1,000 citations.
He continues his research through numerous nationally and internationally funded projects. Among them are the Horizon 2020 MSCA-IF project (WeLearn@Scale), which he led and which aims to support peer assessment at massive scale; the TÜBİTAK 3501 Career Development Project, which he leads and which examines the use of large language models in formative peer feedback; the Erasmus+ KA2 project (Beyond the Divide), in which he serves as a researcher and which focuses on the role of artificial intelligence in inclusive foreign language teaching; and the METU BAP project (Me2Learn), which aims to personalize learning through big data. In recognition of his scientific work and contributions to education, he received the Science Academy BAGEP Award and the METU Prof. Dr. Mustafa Parlar Foundation Educator of the Year Award in 2023, and the Turkish Academy of Sciences Outstanding Young Scientist Award (TÜBA-GEBİP) in 2024.
In addition to his academic activities, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Erkan Er has taken on active institutional leadership responsibilities. He served as Deputy Head of the METU CEIT Department between 2022 and 2025 and, as of 2025, has been appointed Advisor to the Dean of the METU Faculty of Education. In these administrative roles, he contributes to the development of educational programs, institutional planning, and the coordination of strategic processes at the faculty level.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Erkan Er leads the development of human-centered, data-driven, and innovative learning environments by combining advanced data analytics and artificial intelligence technologies with pedagogical models.
Education
- 2006 METU, Computer Education and Instructional Technology (BSc)
- 2009 METU, Information Systems (MSc)
- 2016 The University of Georgia, Learning, Design, and Technology (PhD)
Selected Publications
- Ding, L., Rodenberg, R., Er, E., Nguyen, H., & Yoon, M. (2026). An ICAP-informed rubric for analyzing students' questions to generative AI: engagement patterns and dynamics exploration. Interactive Learning Environments.
- Coskun, A., & Er, E. (2026). Hybrid Intelligence Feedback: A Model Proposal and Preliminary Study. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 42(2).
- Guner, H., & Er, E. (2025). AI in the classroom: Exploring students' interaction with ChatGPT in programming learning. Education and Information Technologies, 30(9), 12681-12707.
- Er, E., Akçapınar, G., Bayazıt, A., Noroozi, O., & Banihashem, S. K. (2025). Assessing student perceptions and use of instructor versus AI-generated feedback. British Journal of Educational Technology, 56(3), 1074-1091.
- Er, E., Dimitriadis, Y., & Gasevic, D. (2021). Collaborative peer feedback and learning analytics: theory-oriented design for supporting class-wide interventions. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 46(2), 169-190.
- Ding, L., Er, E., & Orey, M. (2018). An exploratory study of student engagement in gamified online discussions. Computers & Education, 120, 213-226.
