Universitas Padjadjaran, 30 October 2024 — A student from the Library and Information Science (PSI) Study Program at the Faculty of Communication Sciences (FIKOM), Universitas Padjadjaran (UNPAD), has completed an in-depth study on the evolution of digital literacy research trends. The study, titled “Bibliometric Analysis of Digital Literacy Research Trends in Higher Education in the Scopus Database 2014-2023,” provides a comprehensive overview of the research landscape in this field over the past decade.
The research was led by Siti Rina Latifah, an undergraduate student, under the guidance of lecturers Yunus Winoto and Ute Lies Siti Khadijah. The study’s background stems from the crucial role of digital literacy in the modern era, particularly in higher education institutions, which are constantly required to adapt to technological advancements. The objective was to analyze publication trends, core journals, productive researchers, and map the knowledge structure related to digital literacy.
This study employed a quantitative method using bibliometric analysis with the VOSviewer software. The researcher analyzed 646 documents from the Scopus database published between 2014 and 2023. This analysis provided objective data on research growth, most frequently used keywords, and collaborations among researchers.
The findings indicate that publications on digital literacy in higher education have grown significantly, albeit with some fluctuations. There was a decrease from 2014 to 2016, followed by a sharp increase until 2021, a subsequent dip, and another rise in 2023. These trends reflect the academic world’s response to major events like the COVID-19 pandemic, which triggered a surge of interest in digital learning.
The study also successfully identified the most recent and prominent keywords in the field, such as High Educations, Covid-19, pandemic, educational innovation, digital competencies, digital transformation, and student. This indicates that digital literacy research is closely tied to challenges and innovations in the education sector, particularly in response to global changes. The journal Education and Information Technologies was identified as the most cited journal, highlighting its influence in the field.
This publication offers valuable insights for researchers and educational institutions, helping them identify promising areas for future research. The study also contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically SDG 4 (Quality Education), which emphasizes the importance of digital literacy for modern education, and SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure), which promotes innovation within the educational ecosystem.
The scientific article has been published in IQRA Jurnal Ilmu Perpustakaan dan Informasi, a Sinta 4-accredited journal. It is hoped that these findings will serve as a valuable reference for the academic community, helping them formulate more targeted and relevant research strategies aligned with global educational needs.
The publication results can be accessed via the following link: http://media.unpad.ac.id/files/publikasi/2025/rpm_20250128113406_2455.pdf
Writers: Ridha Amalia, Nadziva Shaqeena, dan Muhammad Ihsan Fauzul Haq
