I am a Senior Researcher at Cambridge University Press & Assessment, combining quantitative and qualitative approaches to educational research. With 18 years of experience in educational assessment, curriculum evaluation, and psychometrics, I am passionate about translating research into practical insights for education.
I hold a PhD in Educational Measurement and Evaluation from Hacettepe University (Turkey), where my thesis explored Item Response Theory vertical scaling methods to measure achievement growth in science education. I also completed an MSc in the same field, investigating factors influencing scientific literacy using PISA data. Prior to joining Cambridge, I was a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Teachers College, Columbia University, working on STEM curriculum evaluation and developing an assessment tool to measure teacher self-efficacy.
At Cambridge, my recent research focuses on the climate change knowledge-action gap in education and the integration of indigenous knowledge into regional curricula worldwide. I am committed to advancing research that promotes equity, sustainability, and stronger connections between education policy and classroom practice.
Outside of work, I enjoy reading, baking, and travelling with my family.
Selected Publications:
Ozturk, M., Soysal, N., Albayrak-Sari, A., Ince, B. H., Dayioglu-Ocal, S., & Bagci, A. (2025). Curricular response to education for sustainable development in Turkish basic education: A comparative analysis of national versus global learning objectives. Asia Pacific Education Review. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12564-025-10082-x (Forthcoming; indexed in SSCI)
Ozturk, M., Soysal, N., Albayrak-Sari, A., Ince, B. H., Dayioglu-Ocal, S., & Bagci, A. (2024, April). Curricular response of Turkish basic education to sustainable development goals. Paper presented at the 2024 Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association (AERA), Philadelphia, PA, United States.
Ince, B. H., Dayioglu-Ocal, S., Soysal, N., Albayrak-Sari, A., Bagci, A., & Ozturk, M. (2022). Key elements of education for sustainable development in Turkey’s education: An analysis of policy documents. In M. Ozturk (Ed.), Educational response, inclusion and empowerment for SDGs in emerging economies (pp. 1–xx). Springer Nature. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-98962-0_1
Global Schools. (2021). The opportunities and challenges of curriculum localization for the sustainable development goals: Results of the Global Schools pilot study in Turkey. United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network. (Authors: Mustafa Ozturk, Aylin Albayrak-Sari, Abdullah Bagci, Secil Dayioglu-Ocal, Burtay Hatice Ince, Nese Soysal)
Baran, E., Canbazoglu Bilici, S., Albayrak-Sari, A., & Tondeur, J. (2019). Investigating the impact of teacher education strategies on preservice teachers' TPACK. British Journal of Educational Technology, 50(1), 357–370. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.12565