TL;DR
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.
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.
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).
The rapid expansion of immersive technologies has intensified interest in the educational potential of the metaverse; however, its relationship with inclusive education remains conceptually fragmented and insufficiently theorised. This article advances a clearer conceptualisation of the inclusive metaverse in education through a conceptual scoping review guided by PRISMA-ScR. Searches were conducted in Scopus and Web of Science (16 June 2026), with no date restrictions applied. Eligible studies were peer-reviewed journal articles or conference proceedings, published in English or Spanish, that addressed the intersection of metaverse or immersive technologies with inclusion or accessibility in educational contexts; secondary studies were excluded. Sixteen studies published between 2023 and 2026 were included and analysed to identify recurring definitions, attributes, and conceptual assumptions. The findings show that inclusion is often addressed through isolated dimensions, particularly accessibility features and technological design, rather than through an integrated socio-pedagogical framework. In response, the article proposes a conceptual framework structured around five interrelated dimensions: technological infrastructures, immersive learning environments, pedagogical approaches, accessibility and inclusion, and emerging technological ecosystems, the last understood as the system-level conditions of regulation, data protection, cost, and institutional provision within which the other four operate. The inclusive metaverse is defined as an immersive educational ecosystem that integrates emerging technologies with inclusive pedagogical principles to support equitable access, meaningful participation, and personalised learning experiences for diverse learners. The review was limited to two databases, and the evidence base is concentrated in recent publications (2023–2026). The review was not registered, and no protocol was prepared. The study contributes to theoretical clarification in an emerging field and offers practical and policy-relevant guidance for the design, implementation, and evaluation of inclusive metaverse-based learning environments.
This study examines research trends and emerging themes in Education 5.0 through a bibliometric and thematic document analysis. The data were collected from the Web of Science (WoS) Core Collection database using a structured search strategy within the SSCI and ESCI indexes. The search was limited to English-language articles published between 2016 and March 2026. Following the screening process, 57 articles directly related to the educational context were included in the analysis. Bibliometric analyses were conducted using VOSviewer to examine keyword clusters, country collaboration, temporal publication trends, research areas, and cited publications. In addition, the abstracts of the selected studies were analyzed to identify the most frequently occurring abstract terms and the emerging themes reflected in the abstracts. The findings suggest that Education 5.0 is a relatively new and emerging field that has shown a visible increase in publication activity after 2023. The literature reflects a multidisciplinary structure situated at the intersection of education, computer science, engineering, and sustainability-related perspectives, while international collaboration remains limited and fragmented. The thematic analysis revealed six major themes: transformation of education, technology integration, competency and skills development, implementation challenges, sustainability, and institutional transformation. Overall, the study provides a systematic overview of the intellectual structure and thematic directions of Education 5.0 research and offers implications for future research in the field.
The increasing emphasis on twenty-first-century competencies has positioned STEM learning as an important educational approach for fostering students' creative thinking. Although numerous studies have investigated the relationship between STEM learning and creative thinking, a comprehensive understanding of research trends, thematic developments, and empirical evidence remains limited. This study aims to analyze the development of research on STEM learning and creative thinking using a Systematic Literature Network Analysis (SLNA) that integrates bibliometric and qualitative content analyses. Bibliographic data were retrieved exclusively from the Scopus database using the search query TITLE-ABS-KEY (STEM AND Learning AND Creative AND Thinking). The initial search identified 287 publications; 248 met the criteria for bibliometric analysis, and 33 highly relevant full-text articles were selected for qualitative synthesis following the PRISMA 2020 framework. Bibliometric analysis was conducted using Biblioshiny and VOSviewer to examine publication trends, collaboration networks, and thematic structures, while qualitative content analysis synthesized research characteristics, instructional approaches, methodologies, and findings on creative thinking. The findings reveal a continuous increase in publications between 2021 and 2025, indicating growing scholarly interest in STEM learning and creative thinking. Thematic analysis identifies creative thinking, project-based learning, STEM education, and assessment as dominant research themes, while digital learning and computational thinking emerge as developing topics. The qualitative synthesis demonstrates that STEM learning consistently enhances creative thinking through project-based learning, inquiry-based learning, engineering design, robotics, and digital learning environments, particularly by promoting fluency, flexibility, originality, and elaboration. This study contributes to the literature by integrating bibliometric mapping with qualitative synthesis, providing a comprehensive overview of the current research landscape and offering directions for future research and educational practice in STEM learning and creative thinking. Keywords: STEM learning, creative thinking, bibliometric analysis, systematic literature review, qualitative synthesis.
Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) has become a central pedagogical approach in second and foreign language education, emphasizing meaningful communication and learner-centered instruction. Despite the growing body of research, a comprehensive and systematically structured synthesis of its intellectual development remains limited, particularly in terms of quantitative mapping of global research trends. This study aims to systematically review and bibliometrically analyze Scopus-indexed publications on TBLT published between 2000 and December 2025 to map publication trends, thematic evolution, geographical distribution, and influential authors in the field. A Systematic Literature Review was integrated with bibliometric analysis to ensure methodological rigor and analytical depth. Data were retrieved from the Scopus database using the keyword “Task-Based Language Teaching” applied to titles, abstracts, and keywords. Descriptive and trend analyses were conducted using RStudio, while VOSviewer was employed to visualize keyword co-occurrence, thematic clusters, and author collaboration networks. The results indicate a steady growth in TBLT publications, particularly since the mid-2010s, reflecting the maturation and global expansion of the field. Thematic evolution analysis reveals a shift from early concerns with form-focused instruction toward broader pedagogical, contextual, and technology-mediated approaches. Keyword co-occurrence mapping demonstrates strong conceptual coherence alongside increasing thematic diversification. The geographical distribution highlights substantial contributions from both English-speaking and EFL contexts, although disparities in research visibility remain evident. Influential author analysis confirms the sustained impact of foundational scholars alongside the emergence of new research communities. Overall, this study provides a comprehensive and data-driven overview of the intellectual landscape of TBLT research and offers strategic insights for future investigations in task-based and technology-enhanced language pedagogy.