A Bibliometric Study of Digital Tools for Educational Effectiveness in Chinese Higher Education (2015–2025)

Nurfitri Ramadana, Nadya Viranti Khamsiah, Gusti Milla Quaidy, Dwi Marlyani

Abstract


The rapid advancement of digital technology has transformed higher education, offering significant potential to enhance teaching effectiveness, student engagement, and academic decision-making. In China, this transformation has been accelerated by strong government policies, institutional readiness, and cross-sector collaborations, making the country a global leader in digital education implementation. However, despite this rapid growth, research on digital tools in Chinese higher education remains fragmented, often focusing on specific technologies without a comprehensive mapping of trends, thematic developments, and collaborative networks. This study addresses that gap by conducting a bibliometric analysis of research on digital tools for educational effectiveness in China, identifying emerging topics, key contributors, and knowledge structures. Using bibliometric analysis with VOSviewer, 174 relevant publications from the Scopus database (2015–2025) were analyzed based on inclusion criteria. The analysis examined publication trends, productive authors and institutions, funding sponsors, keyword co-occurrence, and thematic clusters. Results indicate a significant increase in publications since 2020, peaking in 2025, with dominant contributions from institutions in Beijing and Shanghai. The most prominent research themes include computational learning systems, immersive digital technologies, artificial intelligence applications such as ChatGPT, and machine learning for personalized education. Novel keywords—such as ChatGPT, digital storytelling, contrastive learning, personalized learning, and digital transformation—highlight the evolution of research toward adaptive, data-driven, and AI-enhanced educational models. This study provides actionable insights for policymakers, educators, and researchers to strengthen digital integration strategies, address implementation challenges, and foster equitable, high-quality education in the digital era.

Keywords


Digital tools;ChatGPT; Contrastive learning; Digital storytelling; Personalized learning; Artificial intelligence

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References


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DOI: https://doi.org/10.59247/jtped.v2i2.24

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