Abstracts
Abstract
This manuscript presents a bibliometric analysis of personal learning environments (PLEs) over 25 years, drawing on 494 documents from 318 sources. Three scientometric software programs were used in data analysis: VOSviewer, Bibliometrix, and Publish & Perish. It reveals a steady growth in the field, with an average annual increase of 5.7% in publications and an average document age of 8.9 years, indicating a blend of current and historical research. Spanish universities stood out as leading institutions in PLE research, suggesting Spain's pivotal role in advancing the field, possibly due to funding, policy, or a robust scientific community. Spain ranked first in the frequency of contributions to PLE research, followed by Italy, Portugal, Finland, Switzerland, and France. Two influential publications in e-learning were highlighted: interactive learning environments from the UK and digital education review from Spain. New and fundamental keywords and emerging research areas were identified and categorized into leading clusters and types. This process enhances the understanding of the subject matter and facilitates the exploration of novel avenues for future inquiry. The research findings will be helpful for educational researchers and policymakers.
Keywords:
- personal learning environment,
- learning analytics,
- bibliometric analysis,
- scientometric
Appendices
Bibliography
- Al Abri, A., Jamoussi, Y., AlKhanjari, Z., & Kraiem, N. (2020). PerLCol: A framework for Personalized E-learning with social collaboration support. International Journal of Computing and Digital Systems, 9(03).
- Alamri, H. A., Watson, S., & Watson, W. (2021). Learning technology models that support personalization within blended learning environments in higher education. TechTrends, 65(1), 62-78.
- Agbo, F. J., Oyelere, S. S., Suhonen, J., & Tukiainen, M. (2021). Scientific production and thematic breakthroughs in smart learning environments: A bibliometric analysis. Smart Learning Environments, 8(1), 1–25. https://doi.org/10.1186/S40561-020-00145-4/FIGURES/12
- Ajamu, G. J., Awotunde, J. B., Jimoh, T. B., Adeniyi, E. A., Abiodun, K. M., Oladipo, I. D., & Abdulraheem, M. (2023). Online teaching sustainability and strategies during the COVID-19 epidemic. The Role of Sustainability and Artificial Intelligence in Education Improvement, 106–132.
- Alamri, H. A., Watson, S., & Watson, W. (2021). Learning technology models that support personalization within blended learning environments in higher education. TechTrends, 65(1), 62–78. https://doi.org/10.1007/S11528-020-00530-3/METRICS
- Alamri, H., Lowell, V., Watson, W., & Watson, S. L. (2020). Using personalized learning as an instructional approach to motivate learners in online higher education: Learner self-determination and intrinsic motivation. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 52(3), 322–352. https://doi.org/10.1080/15391523.2020.1728449
- Archambault, L., Leary, H., & Rice, K. (2022). Pillars of online pedagogy: A framework for teaching in online learning environments. Educational Psychologist, 57(3), 178-191.
- Azouri, M., & Karam, J. (2023). From in-person to hybrid learning mode. Governance in Higher Education: Global Reform and Trends in the MENA Region, 61–88. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-40586-0_4
- Baas, J., Schotten, M., Plume, A., Côté, G., & Karimi, R. (2020). Scopus as a curated, high-quality bibliometric data source for academic research in quantitative science studies. Quantitative Science Studies, 1(1), 377–386. https://doi.org/10.1162/QSS_A_00019
- Ballard, J., & Butler, P. (2011). Personalised learning: Developing a Vygotskian framework for e-learning. International Journal of Technology, Knowledge and Society, 7(2), 21–36. www.Technology-Journal.com
- Bhutoria, A. (2022). Personalized education and artificial intelligence in the United States, China, and India: A systematic review using a human-in-the-loop model. Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence, 3, 100068.
- Bishop, P. A., Downes, J. M., Netcoh, S., Farber, K., DeMink-Carthew, J., Brown, T., & Mark, R. (2020). Teacher roles in personalized learning environments. The Elementary School Journal, 121(2), 311-336.
- Bond, M., Buntins, K., Bedenlier, S., Zawacki-Richter, O., & Kerres, M. (2020). Mapping research in student engagement and educational technology in higher education: A systematic evidence map. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education 2020, 17(1), 1–30. https://doi.org/10.1186/S41239-019-0176-8
- Borba, M. C., Askar, P., Engelbrecht, J., Gadanidis, G., Llinares, S., & Aguilar, M. S. (2016). Blended learning, e-learning and mobile learning in mathematics education. ZDM - Mathematics Education, 48(5), 589–610. https://doi.org/10.1007/S11858-016-0798-4/METRICS
- Chankseliani, M., Lovakov, A., & Pislyakov, V. (2021). A big picture: Bibliometric study of academic publications from post-Soviet countries. Scientometrics, 126(10), 8701–8730. https://doi.org/10.1007/S11192-021-04124-5/FIGURES/18
- Chen, X., Zou, D., Xie, H., & Wang, F. L. (2021). Past, present, and future of smart learning: A topic-based bibliometric analysis. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 18(1), 1–29. https://doi.org/10.1186/S41239-020-00239-6/FIGURES/9
- Cheung, S. K. S., Kwok, L. F., Phusavat, K., & Yang, H. H. (2021). Shaping the future learning environments with smart elements: Challenges and opportunities. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 18(1), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1186/S41239-021-00254-1/METRICS
- Colavizza, G., Hrynaszkiewicz, I., Staden, I., Whitaker, K., & McGillivray, B. (2020). The citation advantage of linking publications to research data. PLOS ONE, 15(4), e0230416. https://doi.org/10.1371/JOURNAL.PONE.0230416
- Cummins, P. A., Harrington, A. K., & Yamashita, T. (2021). Individual learning accounts: A comparison of implemented and proposed initiatives. Adult Learning, 33(4), 147–157. https://doi.org/10.1177/10451595211046971
- De la Vall, R. R. F., & Araya, F. G. (2023). Exploring the benefits and challenges of AI-language learning tools. International Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities Invention, 10(01), 7569-7576.
- Díaz Redondo, R. P., Caeiro Rodríguez, M., López Escobar, J. J., & Fernández Vilas, A. (2021). Integrating micro-learning content in traditional e-learning platforms. Multimedia Tools and Applications, 80(2), 3121-3151.
- Díaz-Noguera, M. D., Hervás-Gómez, C., De la Calle-Cabrera, A. M., & López-Meneses, E. (2022). Autonomy, motivation, and digital pedagogy are key factors in the perceptions of Spanish higher-education students toward online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(2), 654.
- El-Ebiary, A. Y. B., Pandey, B., Ghanem, W. A. H. M., Jusoh, J. A., & Saany, S. I. A. (2024). Education enhanced by big data as a technology of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (IR 4.0). Big Data Computing: Advances in Technologies, Methodologies, and Applications, 34–64.
- El-Sabagh, H. A. (2021). Adaptive e-learning environment based on learning styles and its impact on development students’ engagement. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 18(1), 1–24. https://doi.org/10.1186/S41239-021-00289-4/TABLES/4
- Engelbrecht, J., & Oates, G. (2022). Student collaboration in blending digital technology in the learning of mathematics. Handbook of Cognitive Mathematics, 2–2, 869–907. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-03945-4_37
- García-Martínez, J. A., González-Sanmamed, M., & Muñoz-Carril, P. C. (2021). Validation of the Activities’ Scale in higher education students’ personal learning environments. Psicothema, 33(2), 320–327. https://doi.org/10.7334/PSICOTHEMA2020.259
- Gelmez Burakgazi, S., & Reiss, M. J. (2024). Perceptions of sustainability among children and teachers: Problems revealed via the lenses of science communication and transformative learning. Sustainability 2024, 16(11), 4742. https://doi.org/10.3390/SU16114742
- Gumbheer, C. P., Khedo, K. K., & Bungaleea, A. (2022). Personalized and adaptive context-aware mobile learning: Review, challenges and future directions. Education and Information Technologies, 27(6), 7491–7517. https://doi.org/10.1007/S10639-022-10942-8/TABLES/4
- Hernández, J. B., Chalela, S., Arias, J. V., & Arias, A. V. (2017). Research trends in the study of ICT based learning communities: A bibliometric analysis. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 13(5), 1539–1562. https://doi.org/10.12973/EURASIA.2017.00684A
- Jing, Y., Zhao, L., Zhu, K., Wang, H., Wang, C., & Xia, Q. (2023). Research landscape of adaptive learning in education: A bibliometric study on research publications from 2000 to 2022. Sustainability 2023, 15(4), 3115. https://doi.org/10.3390/SU15043115
- Katz, V. S., Jordan, A. B., & Ognyanova, K. (2021). Digital inequality, faculty communication, and remote learning experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic: A survey of US undergraduates. PLOS ONE, 16(2), e0246641. https://doi.org/10.1371/JOURNAL.PONE.0246641
- Kemeç, A., & Altınay, A. T. (2023). Sustainable energy research trend: A bibliometric analysis using VOSviewer, RStudio Bibliometrix, and CiteSpace software tools. Sustainability 2023, 15(4), 3618. https://doi.org/10.3390/SU15043618
- Kim, M. C., Nam, S., Wang, F., & Zhu, Y. (2020). Mapping scientific landscapes in UMLS research: A scientometric review. Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association, 27(10), 1612–1624. https://doi.org/10.1093/JAMIA/OCAA107
- King, T. (2021). Microlearning for personal and professional development. Microlearning in the Digital Age, 155–167. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780367821623-13
- Koutsantonis, D., Koutsantonis, K., Bakas, N. P., Plevris, V., Langousis, A., & Chatzichristofis, S. A. (2022). Bibliometric literature review of adaptive learning systems. Sustainability 2022, 14(19), 12684. https://doi.org/10.3390/SU141912684
- Lai, K. W., Khaddage, F., & Knezek, G. (2013). Blending student technology experiences in formal and informal learning. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 29(5), 414–425. https://doi.org/10.1111/JCAL.12030
- Li, K. C., & Wong, B. T. M. (2023). Artificial intelligence in personalised learning: A bibliometric analysis. Interactive Technology and Smart Education, 20(3), 422–445. https://doi.org/10.1108/ITSE-01-2023-0007/FULL/XML
- Liu, J., Tang, T., Wang, W., Xu, B., Kong, X., & Xia, F. (2018). A survey of scholarly data visualization. IEEE Access, 6, 19205–19221. https://doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2018.2815030
- Maier, U., & Klotz, C. (2022). Personalized feedback in digital learning environments: Classification framework and literature review. Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence, 3, 100080.
- Maryani, I., Karimi, A., & Fathi, K. (2024). Virtual reality in elementary education: A scientometric review. Journal of Learning for Development, 11(3), 430-446.
- Marín, V., Negre, F., & Pérez, A. (2014). Construction of the foundations of the PLE and PLN for collaborative learning. Comunicar, 21(42).
- Mo, Y., Appel, M., Kim, J. W., & Lee, M. (2021). Pre-service teachers’ international study experiences or in-service teachers’ professional learning communities: What comes into play in Finnish teachers’ self-efficacy in multicultural classrooms? Teachers and Teaching, 27(7), 602–624. https://doi.org/10.1080/13540602.2021.1983535
- Montebello, M. (2021). Personalized learning environments. Proceedings - 2021 International Symposium on Educational Technology, ISET 2021, 134–138. https://doi.org/10.1109/ISET52350.2021.00036
- Mullen, L. B. (2024). Open access, scholarly communication, and open science in psychology: An overview for researchers. SAGE Open, 14(1_suppl). https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440231205390
- Nasrudin, D., Rochman, C., Kuntadi, D., & Jamaluddin, D. (2021). Research trends of quality assurance in Islamic education. Journal of Quality Assurance in Islamic Education (JQAIE), 1(1), 22–32. https://doi.org/10.47945/jqaie.v1i1.391
- Nathaniel, T. I., Goodwin, R. L., Fowler, L., McPhail, B., & Black, A. C. (2021). An adaptive blended learning model for the implementation of an integrated medical neuroscience course during the Covid-19 pandemic. Anatomical Sciences Education, 14(6), 699–710. https://doi.org/10.1002/ASE.2097
- Nazempour, R., & Darabi, H. (2023). Personalized learning in virtual learning environments using students’ behavior analysis. Education Sciences, 13(5), 457. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci13050457
- Nikolić, D., Ivanović, D., & Ivanović, L. (2024). An open-source tool for merging data from multiple citation databases. Scientometrics, 1–23. https://doi.org/10.1007/S11192-024-05076-2/METRICS
- Ofosu-Ampong, K., Boateng, R., Kolong, E., & Anning-Dorson, T. (2021). Motivation in gamified social media learning: A psychological need perspective. Journal of Information Systems Education, 32(3). https://aisel.aisnet.org/jise/vol32/iss3/4
- Oliveira, W., Hamari, J., Joaquim, S., Toda, A. M., Palomino, P. T., Vassileva, J., & Isotani, S. (2022). The effects of personalized gamification on students’ flow experience, motivation, and enjoyment. Smart Learning Environments, 9(1), 16.
- Raes, A. (2022). Exploring student and teacher experiences in hybrid learning environments: Does presence matter? Postdigital Science and Education, 4(1), 138–159. https://doi.org/10.1007/S42438-021-00274-0/FIGURES/6
- Raes, A., Detienne, L., Windey, I., & Depaepe, F. (2020). A systematic literature review on synchronous hybrid learning: Gaps identified. Learning Environments Research, 23(3), 269–290. https://doi.org/10.1007/S10984-019-09303-Z/METRICS
- Raj, N. S., & Renumol, V. G. (2022). A systematic literature review on adaptive content recommenders in personalized learning environments from 2015 to 2020. Journal of Computers in Education, 9(1), 113-148.
- Romero-Rodríguez, J. M., Ramirez-Montoya, M. S., Glasserman-Morales, L. D., & Ramos Navas-Parejo, M. (2023). Collaborative online international learning between Spain and Mexico: A microlearning experience to enhance creativity in complexity. Education+ Training, 65(2), 340-354.
- Rudolph, J., Tan, S., Crawford, J., & Butler-Henderson, K. (2023). Perceived quality of online learning during COVID-19 in higher education in Singapore: Perspectives from students, lecturers, and academic leaders. Educational Research for Policy and Practice, 22(1), 171–191. https://doi.org/10.1007/S10671-022-09325-0/FIGURES/2
- Sajja, R., Sermet, Y., & Demir, I. (2024). End-to-end deployment of the Educational AI Hub for Personalized Learning and Engagement: A case study on environmental science education. https://doi.org/10.31223/X5XM7N
- Shen, X., Li, J., Li, M., & Karimi, A. (2025). A 29‐year (1994–2023) bibliometrics analysis of usage of the gamification in history education. European Journal of Education, 60(4), e70256.
- Shemshack, A., & Spector, J. M. (2020). A systematic literature review of personalized learning terms. Smart Learning Environments, 7(1), 33.
- Sun, Z., Allan, A., Zou, X., & Scrafton, D. (2022). Scientometric analysis and mapping of transit-oriented development studies. Planning Practice & Research, 37(1), 35–60. https://doi.org/10.1080/02697459.2021.1920724
- Ullah, N., Al-Rahmi, W. M., Alzahrani, A. I., Alfarraj, O., & Alblehai, F. M. (2021). Blockchain technology adoption in smart learning environments. Sustainability 2021, 13(4), 1801. https://doi.org/10.3390/SU13041801
- Valtonen, T., Leppänen, U., Hyypiä, M., Kokko, A., Manninen, J., Vartiainen, H., ... & Hirsto, L. (2021). Learning environments preferred by university students: A shift toward informal and flexible learning environments. Learning Environments Research, 24, 371-388.
- Walkington, C., & Bernacki, M. L. (2020). Appraising research on personalized learning: Definitions, theoretical alignment, advancements, and future directions. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 52(3), 235-252.
- Yazdi, A., Karimi, A., & Mystakidis, S. (2024). Gamification in online education: A visual bibliometric network analysis. Information 2024, 15(2), 81. https://doi.org/10.3390/INFO15020081