Online Learning for Technical Education: A Bibliometric Analysis

Abstract

Background: Online learning for technical and vocational education has transitioned from an emergency substitute to a permanent instructional model, yet understanding its scientific growth, global contributions, and structural evolution remains critical.

Aim: This paper aims to execute a bibliometric analysis mapping publication trends, impactful contributors, international collaboration structures, and thematic evolution in the online technical education literature.

Methodology: Following a systematic extraction strategy, 308 pristine English-language documents published between 1999 and 2026 were retrieved from Scopus. Data cleaning was conducted using OpenRefine, and computational network visualizations were performed via BiblioSpy® and VOSviewer.

Results: The results reveal an explosive growth peak in 2023 following the COVID-19 pandemic, with the field accumulating 5,836 total citations. While the United States and China lead in overall publication volume, the United Kingdom and Taiwan demonstrate superior citation efficiency per paper. International research collaborations remain largely clustered regionally rather than globally integrated. Keyword co-occurrence analysis revealed three distinct thematic clusters: Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), online implementation and pandemic impacts, and emerging learner-centered dimensions focusing on self-efficacy and student engagement.

Conclusion: The field is actively shifting from a technology-centered implementation paradigm toward a holistic, learner-centered perspective. Sustainable digital integration in technical education requires enhanced international collaboration, blended instructional designs, and interactive tools like virtual laboratories to ensure practical competency development