Mete Akcaoglu
Professor of Instructional Technology · Department Chair
I am a professor of instructional technology and department chair at Georgia Southern University. My research focuses on how people learn with and through technology — with particular emphasis on motivation, interest development, and the design of technology-rich learning environments. My work spans game-based learning, AI in education, and online learning design, using experimental, survey, and qualitative methods.
Research Interests
Motivation & Interest Development
How interest emerges in technology-rich environments, and how instructional design can sustain it.
Game-Based Learning & CS Education
Using game design as a vehicle for teaching computational thinking in K–12 classrooms.
AI in Education
LLM-assisted research workflows, AI literacy, and the role of generative AI in teaching and learning.
Online Learning Design
Community of inquiry frameworks, course design patterns, and engagement in online and hybrid settings.
Current Position
Department Chair — Leadership, Technology, and Human Development Georgia Southern University · Fall 2024–Present
Overseeing 20 full-time faculty, 10 graduate programs, ~600 students. Focus areas: faculty development, curriculum reform, enrollment management, and accreditation.
News
- 2026
- Co-authored Computational Analysis of Educational Data: A Field Guide Using R with Wang, Rosenberg, & Kellogg. Read online →
- 2025–26
- Co-PI on Math Nation Georgia Pilot Program Evaluation ($1M, Georgia Department of Education)
- 2024
- Keynote at the International Symposium on Computer and Instructional Technologies (ICITS), Kastamonu, Türkiye
- 2024
- Appointed Department Chair, Leadership, Technology, and Human Development
- 2022
- Completed NSF-funded Project GAME: a game design-based CS curriculum for middle schools