Prof. Dr. Bahar Baran is a full professor of Educational Technology at Dokuz Eylül University, where she also serves as the Director of the Distance Education Center. Since beginning her academic career as a research assistant, she has advanced through the ranks of assistant and associate professor, specializing in instructional design, multimedia development, distance education, and digital learning environments for both children and lifelong learning. Her research focuses on the integration of emerging technologies—such as virtual and augmented reality—into sustainable and innovative learning environments. She has led numerous national and international projects, including the QS award (shortlisted) Sustainable Hybrid Learning Space: The Meta Class Model.

Prof. Baran is actively involved in European collaborations, particularly within Erasmus+ programs and nationally supported TÜBİTAK projects. Her Erasmus+ projects include E-DigiLit: Enhancing Digital Literacy of University Students, Consortium of Distance Education Centers – Learning Mobility of Individuals, and Pedagogy of Teaching Coding to Children, among others.

Her recent national projects focus on innovative digital pedagogies and include: Gamification-Supported Awareness and Digital Content Development for the Dissemination of Sustainable Development Goals; a project on Teaching Online Health Literacy to Address Infertility-Related Reproductive Issues in University Students; the Design and Development of a Virtual Reality Application for Teaching Social Sciences to Middle School Students; and the creation of a Multimedia-Enhanced E-book on Climate Change for Middle School Children.