Research Trends and Future Directions in Metacognition, Critical Literacy, and Project-Based Learning in Higher Education: A Bibliometric Analysis

Abstract

Metacognition, critical literacy, and Project-Based Learning (PjBL) are increasingly important in higher education due to the contribution to higher-order thinking, self-regulated learning, and student-centered learning. Therefore, this research aimed to analyze trends, publication productivity, thematic developments, and gaps through bibliometric analysis. Data were collected from the Scopus database covering publications from 2018 to June 2026. After a systematic screening process, 154 articles were analyzed using VOSviewer. The results showed an increasing publication trend, particularly between 2020–2025, reflecting growing academic interest in metacognitive development and innovative learning approaches. Spain, the United States, and the United Kingdom were the leading contributors, while Indonesia and China showed growing participation. Keyword co-occurrence analysis identified metacognition as the most influential concept (TLS = 393), strongly connected to higher education, learning, cognition, psychology, and self-regulated learning. Nine thematic clusters were identified, including learner-centered learning, artificial intelligence, assessment and reflection, project-based learning, learning analytics, and educational innovation. A key result indicates the limited presence of critical literacy within the thematic network despite its inclusion in the search strategy, indicating a significant research gap. Future research should strengthen the integration of critical literacy, metacognition, and PjBL to support the development of critical, reflective, and self-regulated learners in higher education.