Education in Emergencies: Mapping the Global Education Research Landscape in the Context of the COVID-19 Crisis

Abstract

This study uses an education in emergencies (EiE) lens and a scientometric approach to examine the educational research landscape during the COVID-19 pandemic by analyzing 95,628 publications indexed in the Web of Science Core Collection database from 2020 to February 2023. It employed descriptive and network approaches to map growth trajectory, productivity, social structure, conceptual structure, and research methodologies used in the retrieved sources. The findings reveal a steady increase in publications on education and COVID-19 since the onset of the pandemic. However, the majority of productive countries and institutions are in the Global North, with limited representation from the Global South, except for China. English is the dominant language in publications, and funding agencies from English-speaking countries are the most active. The most frequently occurring keywords revolve around performativity, institutions, teaching methodologies, attitudes, and experiences, while keywords related to social justice are a peripheral focus. Publications mainly focus on technical and methodological aspects of education, such as online teaching and learning. Most productive journals represent a mix of foci and are not limited to distance learning. The extracted literature showcases diversity in research methodologies used. Future studies should use systematic reviews on narrow topics to evaluate the effects of the pandemic, inform decision-making, enhance education system resilience, and envision a more equitable education system. The study’s contributions are notable for its unique EiE perspective, comprehensive scope, extensive data extraction, and meticulous examination of research design, effectively addressing limitations in bibliometric software.