Aug 2026· Journal of Law and Bibliometrics Studies· Vol 2, pp. 137· 0 citations· 29 references
TL;DR
This study provides a comprehensive mapping of the intellectual structure and thematic evolution of PBL research in Digital Learning Environments and identifies research gaps, including limited international collaboration and the need for greater integration of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence.
Abstract
Objective: The study aims to map the global research landscape of Problem-Based Learning (PBL) in Digital Learning Environments (DLE) using a bibliometric approach. The objective is to identify publication trends, major contributors, collaboration patterns, and emerging research themes supporting the development of sustainable digital education aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4). Method: The analysis was conducted on 2,134 documents retrieved from the Scopus database covering publications up to 2025. Data preprocessing involved duplicate removal, document filtering, and keyword harmonization. Bibliometric analysis employed performance indicators (annual publications, productive authors, sources, affiliations, and countries) and science mapping techniques (co-authorship, keyword co-occurrence, and citation analysis) using Bibliometrix and VOSviewer to visualize the intellectual structure of the field. Results: The findings reveal a substantial growth of research in this field, particularly following the global acceleration of digital education. China and the United States dominate research productivity, followed by emerging contributions from countries such as Indonesia. Publication sources are largely dominated by conference proceedings and journals in educational technology and computer science, highlighting the field's interdisciplinary nature. Novelty: This study provides a comprehensive mapping of the intellectual structure and thematic evolution of PBL research in Digital Learning Environments. It identifies research gaps, including limited international collaboration and the need for greater integration of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence. The findings offer directions for future research to strengthen sustainable digital learning innovation and support the achievement of SDG 4.
Background Problem-Based Learning (PBL) and Project-Based Learning (PjBL) have emerged as strategic pedagogies for cultivating environmental literacy (EL) and sustainability competencies within the Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) agenda. Yet the intellectual structure, thematic evolution, and conceptual integration of this body of scholarship remain insufficiently mapped, particularly in relation to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and to disciplinary contexts such as chemistry and environmental chemistry education. Methods This study integrates bibliometric science mapping with systematic content analysis to examine the scholarly landscape of PBL and PjBL-based EL research published in Scopus-indexed journals between 2011 and 2026 (n = 48). Bibliographic data were retrieved through a Boolean query, screened in accordance with the PRISMA 2020 framework, and analyzed using VOSviewer and the Bibliometrix R package to generate co-authorship, keyword co-occurrence, and thematic-evolution maps. A complementary systematic content analysis coded each included study along five dimensions: educational level, learning approach, learning outcomes, SDG alignment, and research methodology. Results The field exhibits an accelerating trajectory after 2021, anchored by Indonesian and North American institutional clusters and organized around four thematic clusters: experiential PBL/PjBL pedagogy, sustainability-oriented curriculum reform, empirical literacy assessment, and emerging eco-literacy innovation. Higher education dominates the corpus (48%); SDGs 4, 12, and 13 are the most invoked goals. Persistent gaps include the limited integration of chemistry and environmental chemistry education, weak longitudinal designs, and underdeveloped EL assessment instruments. Conclusion PBL and PjBL serve as enabling pedagogical approaches for transformative environmental learning. Future research should prioritize longitudinal designs, validated assessment instruments, interdisciplinary integration across chemistry and other natural sciences, and broader representation from the Global South to strengthen sustainability-oriented science education within the ESD agenda.
Mellyzar Mellyzar, Nahadi Nahadi*, H. Hernani et al.· F1000Research· 0 citations
Purpose This study aims to map global research trends, intellectual structures, and thematic developments in learning media development within geography education and closely related geospatial, geoscience, and environmental education contexts from 2015 to 2025.
Design/methods/approach – A bibliometric approach was employed using data retrieved from the Scopus database. Following a PRISMA-based screening process, 705 eligible articles were selected from 2,752 initial records. Data were analyzed using VOSviewer 1.6.20 and Microsoft Excel through publication trend analysis, bibliographic coupling, and keyword co-occurrence mapping.
Findings – The results indicate a substantial increase in publications after 2020, reflecting the accelerated digital transformation of education. Indonesia emerged as the leading contributor under the full-counting approach. Bibliographic coupling analysis revealed a transition from digital and contextual learning media toward AR/VR-based environments and AI-supported educational innovations. Keyword co-occurrence analysis identified dominant themes such as mobile learning, augmented reality, virtual reality, and sustainability, while artificial intelligence, digital literacy, and critical thinking emerged as weak-signal research themes identified through complementary descriptive keyword analysis.
Research implications/limitations – The study is limited to English-language open-access journal articles indexed in the Scopus database and therefore may not fully represent the broader literature.
Originality/value – This study provides a comprehensive bibliometric mapping of learning media development across geography education and related geospatial, geoscience, and environmental education domains, revealing its intellectual evolution, thematic structure, and emerging research frontiers.
N. Fitriani, Sugiyanto, S. B. Ajar· Information Technology Educa...· 0 citations
Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is increasingly recognized as a fundamental driver for achieving global sustainability, yet a comprehensive, long-term mapping of its intellectual structure is needed to guide future policies. This study aims to delineate the evolutionary trajectory of ESD research from 2000 to 2024, identify the most significant contributors (countries, institutions, journals, and authors), and uncover the prevalent thematic clusters within this domain. A quantitative bibliometric approach was employed. The sample consisted of 2,774 English-language peer-reviewed documents extracted from the Scopus Core Collection, spanning from 2000 to 2024. Performance analysis and science mapping were conducted utilizing RStudio (Biblioshiny) and VOSviewer to evaluate co-authorship networks and thematic co-occurrences. The findings confirmed a continuous, exponential growth in ESD publications post-2015. Germany emerged as the most productive country (12.5% of total publications), though the Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia was identified as the leading institution. Thematic analysis revealed 15 distinct clusters, heavily focusing on higher education, curricula, and teacher training, while also highlighting a significant geographical imbalance wherein developed nations overshadow developing countries in overall research engagement.
Van Vinh Le, T. Tran, Van Nga Tran et al.· TEM Journal· 0 citations
The findings reveal a transition toward integrated digital sustainability ecosystems, while persistent challenges remain in ethics, equity, and institutional readiness.
A. Asrizal*, F. Festiyed, Helma Helma et al.· Journal of Information Techn...· 0 citations
Objective: To map the global development of research on information design in digital interfaces through the perspective of user interface (UI), user experience (UX), and usability studies. This study also examines its relevance to Sustainable Development Goal 4 (Quality Education) and Sustainable Development Goal 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure). Method: Bibliometric analysis was conducted using Scopus-indexed journal articles published between 2000 and 2026. Data were retrieved using the query TITLE-ABS-KEY (“UI” AND “UX” AND (“user experience” OR usability)). Following PRISMA-guided screening, 51 articles were selected for analysis. Performance analysis and science mapping using VOSviewer were applied to identify publication trends, source contributions, and thematic structures. Results: The findings indicate rapid growth of UI/UX research during the 2020s, with major contributions from computer science, engineering, and interdisciplinary fields. Thematic mapping shows that user experience, usability, and user interface represent the central research clusters, while design thinking and usability testing emerge as important supporting themes. Novelty: The study highlights information design as a strategic component in sustainable digital development. Effective interface structures support SDG 4 by improving accessibility and comprehension in digital learning environments, while supporting SDG 9 through the development of inclusive and human-centered digital infrastructure. The findings provide directions for future research on accessibility, usability evaluation, and sustainable interface design.
Hasanuddin Al Habib, Dimas Avian Maulana, Shofian Fiangga· Journal of Current Studies i...· 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