Education is not merely about measuring and evaluating cognitive gains; it is a multi-layered journey that an individual undertakes with their environment, societal values, and the consciousness of being human. The healthy guidance of this journey depends on the scientific production of data obtained from educational research, the meaningful interpretation of this data, and ultimately its transformation into educational outcomes that touch people. This edited book aims to address this holistic understanding in education from a “data to human” perspective.
The chapters in the book cover a wide range, starting from measurement and evaluation approaches that form the methodological basis of educational research, extending to contemporary educational issues and human values. Through psychometric approaches such as Generalizability Theory and measurement invariance, the reliability and validity of decisions made in education are questioned; how data obtained from national and international assessment practices can be interpreted more soundly is discussed. In this respect, the book offers a solid scientific foundation for data-driven educational policies and practices.
On the other hand, the book does not limit education to merely numerical data but also focuses on today’s global and societal issues such as values education, environmental and water literacy. Technology-supported values education practices, the development of environmental awareness, and Yunus Emre’s human-centered thought strongly emphasize the moral and cultural dimension of education. Thus, education is approached within a framework of meaning that extends from data to humans, and from humans to society.
We hope that this book will contribute to academics, graduate students, teachers, and all researchers working in the field of education, both methodologically and humanely.