The Evolution of Online Physics Education: Insights from a Bibliometric Study

Huy Thanh Le, Cuong H. Nguyen-Dinh, Hung Tran Van, Minh Duc Nguyen

Abstract


The transformation of physics education through online teaching has prompted the need to understand its development on a global scale. However, a comprehensive bibliometric assessment of this field remains limited. This study addresses this gap by conducting a bibliometric analysis of 1,118 publications from 1990 to 2024 indexed in Scopus, aiming to uncover publication trends, key contributors, collaboration patterns, and emerging research themes. Data were refined through multiple filtering steps and analyzed using Python and Gephi for network visualization. The findings reveal a significant increase in publication output over time, with a notable surge during the COVID-19 pandemic. Notably, journal articles exhibit higher citation rates than conference papers, indicating greater long-term impact. The United States, United Kingdom, and Spain emerged as the most productive countries, while Indonesia and Mexico are among the most active emerging contributors. Co-authorship analysis highlights strong collaboration networks, particularly in Europe, with key contributors such as C. Aramo and L. Caccianiga playing central roles. Thematic analysis through keyword co-occurrence identified dominant research topics such as e-learning, virtual laboratories, augmented reality, and learning analytics, signaling a shift toward technology-enhanced instructional methods. This study provides critical implications for future research, including the need for greater international collaboration, interdisciplinary application of technologies, and increased attention to accessibility and inclusivity. Additionally, it highlights the importance of exploring socio-emotional factors such as student motivation and well-being through longitudinal studies. These insights offer a roadmap for advancing effective, equitable, and emotionally supportive online physics education.

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.24.4.11


Keywords


bibliometric analysis; online teaching; physics education; research trends; academic collaboration

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References


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