A bibliometric journey into research trends in curriculum field: Analysis of two journals

Abstract

The field of curriculum is characterized by its porous and evolving boundaries, which are influenced by ongoing shifts in sociological, technological, scientific, and political domains. Given this dynamic context, the field necessitates continuous advancements to address these evolving trends. Consequently, its scope and prevailing research foci are subject to change, thereby shaping curricular adaptations. The primary objective of this study is to delineate the contemporary scope of curriculum studies by examining prevailing topics of discourse. Research articles published in two selected journals—Curriculum Inquiry and Journal of Curriculum Studies—were analyzed to achieve this. These journals were chosen for their alignment with the study's objective and were employed as primary data sources. A bibliometric analysis was conducted on data harvested from these publications, utilizing descriptive statistics through the Web of Science (WoS) system as an initial analytical step. Subsequently, VOSviewer software was employed for advanced bibliometric analyses. The study's findings offer both visual and descriptive insights into how the thematic focus within curriculum studies has shifted over time. Notably, recent discussions within the field underscore the exigency for democratic curriculum reforms. Moreover, the issues addressed by the selected journals closely align with current societal challenges.