Network analysis and scientific mapping of the field of e-learning in Iran

Abstract

The main objectives at this research to network analysis and present the scientific map of the field of e-learning in Iran. The importance of this research is to identify emerging and prominent subject areas; and to identify and analyze the co-occurrence network of the e-learning in Iran based on the closeness and betweenness centrality measures. It is a scientometric research, using quantitative method and citation analysis. In order to draw a scientific map of e-learning research literature, the data were extracted from the Web of Science database within a specified time period. The retrieved records were formatted using WC10.exe conversion software, and were then mapped using VOSviewer software. The findings revealed a growing trend in the number of articles published in the field of e-learning, and this number increases on an annual basis. The most widely used subject areas in the field of e-learning were identified. High frequency keywords such as e-learning, education, technology, system and satisfaction are the newly emerging and active concepts in this field. Regarding the widely used subject areas in the field of e-learning, it was noted that the two areas of e-learning and education are ranked first and second as the most frequently used terms. The keywords “technology, system and satisfaction” are the other high frequency terms representing the newly emerging concepts in this field. The field of e-learning was mapped based on the closeness centrality measure and its findings revealed that topics such as learning, technology & system learning have the greatest impact on the map. In contrast, information technology, education technology and learning with the lowest centrality and the least impact.