In the era of “data governance”

the instrumental rationality of educational data governance has been deeply integrated into the global education reform and development. While taking care of human educational activities with modern educational tool rationality

there are also potential risks and challenges

such as “data worship” leading to the loss of the original intention of educational governance

“governance trap” causing the expansion of tool rationality deviating from the truth of data

and the “valuing tools over Tao” causing the lack of alienation of educational ethics under tool hegemony. Accordingly

modern educational data governance should return to the original intention of educational data governance

restore the true data care of value rationality

and achieve the dialectical unity of tool rationality and value rationality to realize the due value of its tool rationality.