Global Evolution of Research Productivity on Educational Policies Before and After COVID-19: A Bibliometric Analysis
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.56294/dm2025762Keywords:
Bibliometric Analysis, Educational Policy, COVID-19, Scopus, Web of ScienceAbstract
Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic triggered unprecedented disruptions in education, catalyzing shifts in policy research worldwide. This study offers a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of educational policy scholarship from 2014 to 2024, focusing on changes in research output, thematic trends, and geographic patterns before and after the onset of COVID-19.
Methods: A systematic search was conducted in Scopus and Web of Science using the keywords “educational legislation,” “educational law,” “educational policy,” and “education regulation” while excluding terms related to COVID-19 or the pandemic to avoid bias. Data were filtered by open-access status, exported, and deduplicated. Bibliometric indicators were calculated to examine publication volume and top publishing countries. VOSviewer was employed for keyword co-occurrence analysis.
Results: The findings reveal a notable increase in publication output after 2020, particularly in countries like the United States, Spain, and emerging contributors like Chile and Brazil. Co-occurrence analysis indicates heightened attention to digital learning, equity, and public health dimensions in post-pandemic research.
Conclusions: The pandemic has amplified existing themes of equity and curriculum reform and introduced new focal points, including distance education and socioemotional well-being. These insights inform policymakers and researchers seeking to develop resilient and inclusive educational frameworks in a rapidly changing global context.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Gabriela Erazo , Carlos Benalcázar , Daisy Imbaquingo , Julio Guerra (Author)

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