Bibliometric mapping of theme and trends of augmented reality in the field of education

Abstract

AbstractBackgroundAn innovative and interactive real‐world environment can be presented with augmented reality (AR) that comprises digital visual elements, audio, or other sensory information delivered via technology to enhance one's experience. AR has numerous potential applications in various everyday fields. The education sector is one such arena where AR has been implemented prominently globally. AR in education can impact active students' learning to memorize effectively and can persuade them to engage in a meaningful process of learning.ObjectivesThis article presents a bibliometric analysis of some recent applications of AR, emphasizing the potential effects, challenges, and trends of AR in the education sector for the past 15 years.MethodsA total of 3909 documents published during 2006–2020 were retrieved from the Scopus database for analysis. The bibliometric analysis included document types, subject categorization, document growth, as well as top contributing sources, countries, authors, and funding sponsors. It also analyses keywords, abstracts, titles, and characteristics of the most cited documents. Additionally, it provides a brief account of the challenges for AR adaptation in education.Results and conclusionsThe findings uncover an increased use of AR to promote enhanced learning in the education field. This work will provide the survey, limitations, and drawbacks, as well as open usability and technical issues that may represent new challenges for future research in this field.