Mapping Digital Technology Research in STEM Education: A Systematic Literature Review and Bibliometric Analysis (2016–2025)
DOI:
10.29303/jossed.v7i2.16405Published:
2026-10-28Downloads
Abstract
This study maps the development, thematic structure, and future research directions of digital technology in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education during 2016–2025. A bibliometric-systematic literature review was conducted in four steps: searching ScienceDirect and SpringerLink, screening articles according to PRISMA 2020, analyzing keyword co-occurrence with VOSviewer, and synthesizing the content of the selected articles thematically. Of 1,098 records retrieved, 131 empirical research articles were analyzed. Publications in this corpus rose sharply, from one article in 2016 to 50 in 2025. Thirteen keywords met the occurrence threshold of 5 and formed three clusters: (1) artificial intelligence, educational technology, and teacher professional development; (2) immersive technologies in STEM and engineering education; and (3) computational thinking and hands-on learning. STEM education was the most prominent keyword (50 occurrences; total link strength = 40), and generative AI was among the most recent themes (average publication year = 2024.83). The synthesis identified four research gaps (limited evidence on learning outcomes, teacher readiness and ethics, humanistic dimensions of learning, and reporting of learner-level variables), from which five future research agendas were derived by combining emerging themes in the overlay map, limitations reported in earlier studies, and the learning needs of STEM education. The findings offer an evidence-based overview for designing technology-supported STEM learning and teacher professional development, and they describe trends in the selected corpus rather than in all global publications
Keywords:
Artificial intelligence Bibliometric analysis Digital technology Generative AI STEM education Systematic literature review VOSviewerReferences
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