From Engagement to Innovation through Gamified Learning Review: A Bibliometric Analysis of Trends, Themes, and Trajectories on Advancing Quality Education
Jul 2026· International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research· Vol 25, pp. 925-954· 0 citations
TL;DR
A bibliometric study of gamification in learning undertook to map research trends, leading authors and institutions, and emerging themes with a specific focus on their relevance to Quality Education (SDG 4) affirms the close alignment between emerging research themes on gamification and the principles of Quality Education (SDG 4).
Abstract
The use of gamification to improve engagement, motivation and learning in education is a growing phenomenon. With gamified strategies increasingly being applied to educational reform in countries around the world, it is critical to map the changing research landscape. This research undertook a bibliometric study of gamification in learning to map research trends, leading authors and institutions, and emerging themes – with a specific focus on their relevance to Quality Education (SDG 4). This study extracted information from the SCOPUS database and used VOSviewer to map and visualize 2,324 peer-reviewed publications from 2000 to 2025 (Hwang et al., 2020) The U.S. is the world's leading contributor (434 documents) and Acosta et al. (2025) (16 documents) are the most productive authors. The VOSviewer analysis identified four distinct clusters: Cluster 1 focuses on student engagement, active learning, and instructional design, highlighting gamification's impact on student motivation and performance; Cluster 2 relates to gamification in medical and nursing education, using simulation and clinical training; Cluster 3 investigates immersive technologies, including augmented reality and virtual reality; and Cluster 4 relates to gamification in corporate and professional workforce development – a new research trajectory that is seeing a rapid increase in research. This study affirms the close alignment between emerging research themes on gamification and the principles of Quality Education (SDG 4). This bibliometric study offers educators, policymakers, and researchers’ evidence-based insights to guide the development of efficient, responsive, and inclusive gamification approaches for various learning contexts.
This study examined 325 scientific articles from Scopus on gamification research within flipped classroom and technology-enhanced learning contexts. The study aimed to identify publication trends, research productivity, and emerging thematic patterns in this field. Bibliometric analysis and systematic mapping are lacking, making it difficult to understand research trends, collaboration patterns, and key themes. A bibliometric approach was employed to map trends in scientific publications. Data were collected using the Scopus database, applying Boolean operators. The selection criteria included questions about elementary, middle, and high school students and publications published between 2014 and 2024. Data analysis was carried out using VOSviewer and Bibliometrix. The findings revealed a clear increase in global research activity, with substantial growth in annual publication output. Keyword analysis revealed six interrelated research trends: New Ways of Teaching, Psychological Dimensions and Learner Engagement, Technology Drivers and Digital Environments, Implementation Context: Learning Environment and Curriculum, Evaluation of Goals and Developing Competencies, and Methods for Studies in Education. Gamification literature grew by 169 papers between 2014 and 2021. Although productivity grew between 2021 and 2024, the total number of papers was 156. This study shows that pedagogy, psychology, and technology are interconnected. It can help teachers and policymakers use gamification and AI- and Virtual Reality-enhanced teaching methods. This study emphasizes the integration of pedagogy, psychology, and technology in a comprehensive bibliometric analysis. The findings can help educators and policymakers develop new pedagogical methods, particularly using Artificial Intelligence and VR. Keywords: bibliometric analysis, flipped classroom, digital learning, gamification, and innovative classroom.
Candra Tri Utami, I. Wahyudi, Aan Yuliyanto et al.· Jurnal Pendidikan Progresif· 0 citations
This study examines research themes and publication patterns of metaverse-related studies in education through a bibliometric analysis of Scopus-indexed publications from 2020 to 2025, showing a marked rise in metaverse-in-education research, particularly from 2023 onwards.
Kanagarajan Subramaniam, Mohd Fadzil Abdul Hanid, Sharifah Maryam Syed Azman et al.· Multimedia tools and applica...· 0 citations
One of the primary paradigms in contemporary education is student-centered learning (SCL), which emphasizes students' active participation in the learning process and the development of 21st-century skills. Research SCL in curriculum development has expanded as a result of its growing use in diverse educational settings. Nonetheless, there are still limited studies that trace the conceptual framework, intellectual growth, and research tendencies of SCL in curriculum. The purpose of this study is to map the intellectual terrain of SCL in curriculum research published from 2016 to 2025. Utilizing a bibliometric approach, data was extracted from the Scopus database using the keywords "Student-Centered Learning" and "Curriculum." VOSviewer and Microsoft Excel were employed for data analysis. Findings indicate substantial growth over the decade, with publications increasing from 28 articles in 2016 to 88 articles in 2025, alongside citations rising from 30 to 1,575. Geographically, the United States, Indonesia, and the United Kingdom represent the leading contributors, with Purdue University, Michigan State University, and Universitas Gadjah Mada as the most productive institutions. Keyword co-occurrence analysis identified three primary research domains pedagogical, curricular, and technical. Furthermore, overlay visualization reveals that themes such as artificial intelligence, online learning, critical thinking, and technology integration are emerging as dominant future trends. The findings suggest that SCL has evolved into a central paradigm in curriculum research, continuously adapting to educational changes in the digital era.
Adji W. S. Minadja, Karsoni Berta Dinata, Purnawan Nugroho et al.· Ensiklopedia Jurnal Pendidik...· 0 citations
Gamification has emerged as a transformative approach in the library and information science (LIS) context, enabling a shift from passive information provision to interactive, user-centered learning environments. Despite its growing adoption, the literature remains fragmented and lacks a comprehensive synthesis of its intellectual structure and development. To address this gap, this study employs a bibliometric analysis guided by the PRISMA framework to examine the evolution of gamification research in LIS. Drawing on a curated dataset of high-quality, indexed publications, the findings reveal a clear chronological progression from early exploratory studies to a rapidly expanding, mature field, particularly following the digital transformation accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The analysis identifies a core body of influential studies, while thematic analysis highlights key research clusters related to pedagogy, service design, digital ecosystems, and user engagement. The evolutionary analysis indicates a shift toward structured pedagogical approaches and immersive, technology-driven applications. The study also identifies critical gaps, including limited theoretical integration, a lack of longitudinal and cross-contextual research, and insufficient attention to ethical and organizational dimensions. This study provides a comprehensive bibliometric mapping of gamification, offering a structured understanding of its intellectual landscape and future research directions. The findings highlight the need for theory-driven frameworks and offer practical insights for developing user-centered, ethically grounded, and strategically integrated gamified library services.
M. Al-Taie, M. Aboelmaged, Gharib Hashem et al.· Journal of Librarianship and...· 0 citations
The integration of ethnoscience, digital technology, and inquiry-based learning in STEM education has become an increasingly important focus in science education research. This systematic literature review aims to map research trends, identify effective models, and reveal gaps related to critical thinking skills and digital literacy in STEM-based science learning. Using the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) method, 101 articles published from 2010 to 2026 were selected from Scopus (Q1–Q3) and SINTA (S1–S2) indexed journals. Data from Dimensions AI (4,095 total publications, 2017–2026) and VOSviewer bibliometric mapping (232 items, 5 clusters) further contextualize the research landscape. The analysis reveals five dominant themes: (1) Ethno-STEM and project-based learning, (2) augmented and virtual reality in science learning, (3) development of critical thinking skills through inquiry-based approaches, (4) digital literacy in education, and (5) innovative STEM learning models. The findings indicate that inquiry-based approaches, when combined with local cultural integration (ethnoscience) and digital technology, are effective in improving students' critical thinking skills. However, research on the integrated development of a specific model that simultaneously addresses ethnoscience, digital inquiry, and STEM remains limited. This study provides a theoretical foundation for developing an innovative learning model that bridges local cultural wisdom with 21st-century digital competencies. Keywords: critical thinking, digital literacy, ethnoscience, inquiry-based learning, STEM education.
Prelia Dwi Amanah, A. Purwoko, A. Ramdani et al.· Jurnal Pendidikan MIPA· 0 citations
Gamification has received increasing attention in educational research as a strategy for strengthening learner engagement, motivation, participation, and learning outcomes through the integration of game-related elements into non-game learning contexts. This systematic literature review examined 60 empirical studies on gamification in education published in Scopus-indexed journals between January 2021 and May 2026, following the PRISMA framework. Content analysis was used to identify research trends across countries, publication years, academic disciplines, methodological approaches, theoretical foundations, gamification platforms, participants’ educational levels, game elements, learning outcomes, and future research directions. The findings show that gamification research is distributed across diverse educational contexts, with stronger representation in higher education and in disciplines such as STEM, educational technology, language education, and general education. Quantitative approaches and experimental designs were more frequently used than qualitative and mixed-method designs. Common gamification elements included points, feedback, challenges, progress indicators, levels, badges, leaderboards, collaboration, competition, and narrative features. The reviewed studies indicate that gamification can support motivation, engagement, academic performance, self-regulated learning, collaboration, and higher-order thinking when it is carefully aligned with learners’ needs, instructional objectives, and pedagogical design. However, the review also identifies limitations, including short intervention periods, overreliance on extrinsic rewards, cognitive overload, contextual variation, and limited evidence on long-term effects. The study highlights the need for more longitudinal, adaptive, theory-informed, and methodologically rigorous research on gamification in education.
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