Author(s): Yeoh Khar Kheng, Irene Khor Yew Fah, Mathivannan Jaganathan
Purpose – The primary objective of this research is to illuminate the trajectory of online learning platform (OLP) studies in the context of the digital era. This study offers an extensive bibliometric mapping of OLP articles published in globally recognized sources, providing in-depth metadata. The manuscript is guided by three key objectives: firstly, to investigate the body of literature within the realm of OLP; secondly, to elucidate specific details of OLP articles; and thirdly, to delve into the critical areas of research that have been covered in the domain of OLP. Design/methodology/approach – This study employs bibliometric analysis to examine OLP research, utilizing VOSviewer and Biblioshiny, a shiny application integrated with the Bibliometrix R package. The chosen tools decode and transform data obtained from the Scopus database into visually informative representations. The review of OLP studies in this research encompasses all pertinent publications from 2003 to August 2024, with meticulous scrutiny and refinement of the article records. Findings – This study delved into various perspectives on OLP studies, examining, discussing, and pinpointing multiple viewpoints. The results of the bibliometric analysis furnish valuable insights into both the present and forthcoming publication trends within the realm of OLP. Furthermore, it delivers essential data regarding the most frequently cited documents in OLP, the most prolific contributors, findings from keyword analysis, highly active countries, and sources, as well as network analysis data, including co-occurrence networks and thematic mapping details in the field of OLP. Research limitations/implications – This study conducted a multifaceted exploration of OLP studies exclusively within the online Scopus database, limiting our analysis to this source. This approach excluded articles published in other reputable databases. Subsequent research endeavours could extend their scope to include relevant publications from various well-established databases beyond Scopus, broadening the comprehensiveness of the study. Practical implications – The main practical implication of a bibliometric article on OLP is to guide researchers and institutions in focusing their research efforts, forming collaborations effectively, and making informed decisions about resource allocation and strategic partnerships. Originality/value – To the best of our knowledge, this represents the inaugural bibliometric investigation into the dynamics of OLP research trends employing the VOSviewer and Biblioshiny tools. This review accentuates patterns in annual publications, key contributors, highly cited papers, influential countries, prominent institutions, and prolific sources within the OLP domain. The discerned findings not only contribute valuable insights but also lay the foundation for potential avenues of future research in this field.