DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.186901.1 ISSN: 2046-1402

Educational Chronotopes in the Digital Landscape of Higher Education: A Systematic Bibliometric Mapping of Research Trends, 2015–2025

Joshua Jacobs, Heloise Sathorar
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Background The rapid expansion of digital learning in higher education has fundamentally altered the spatial and temporal dimensions, or chronotopes, of teaching and learning. This study maps the conceptual and intellectual landscape of educational chronotopes, exploring how critical pedagogy intersects with these shifting timespaces. Methods This study employed a quantitative bibliometric research design to examine publication trends and the intellectual structure of the literature. Bibliometric indicators, including citation and keyword co-occurrence analyses, were generated in VOSviewer to identify influential publications, thematic clusters, and research networks within Higher Education. Results The analysis identified four main paths shaping research on space and time in digital higher education: the integration of physical and virtual learning spaces into postdigital ecologies; pandemic-driven disruptions; the use of mobile and immersive tech to overcome spatial limits; and psychosocial and cultural factors supporting e-learning. Findings revealed a convergence between critical pedagogy and chronotopic views, emphasising intentional design of equitable digital environments that foster student agency and social interaction. However, the bibliometric network showed fragmentation among research themes, especially between emergency remote teaching, AI-driven systems, and critical pedagogy, highlighting the need for more integrated and sustainable digital education. Conclusion Furthermore, the analysis demonstrates that critical pedagogy greatly informs chronotopic design by advocating for equitable, decentralised digital spaces that validate student voice. Finally, the study identifies significant fragmentation within the literature, particularly between quantitative research on AI-driven e-learning systems and postdigital pedagogies, and between reactive pandemic studies and proactive instructional design. To navigate future educational transformations, this study recommends bridging these structural gaps to design sustainable, highly engaging digital learning environments.

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