Evolution and Frontiers of Digital Game-Based Learning in Education: A Bibliometric Analysis

Digital Game-Based Learning (DGBL) has emerged as a prominent research area in educational technology and innovative teaching strategies, particularly demonstrating significant potential in higher education. This study employs bibliometric analysis to systematically explore the application and development of DGBL in education, based on 688 relevant articles from the Web of Science Core Collection. The findings reveal a continuous growth trend in DGBL research, with a notable acceleration in publications since 2014. International collaboration networks are widespread, and citation analysis of journals highlights the diverse research characteristics of DGBL. Keyword co-occurrence analysis identifies six major research directions, including the academic outcomes of educational games and gamification in higher education. Trend analysis indicates that DGBL research has evolved from theoretical discussions to practical applications and is now delving deeper into the exploration of learning motivation and engagement. Based on the bibliometric results, future research directions for DGBL are proposed, including further development of its theoretical foundation, expansion of its application scope, and innovations in instructional design and technological support to enhance the personalization and adaptability of DGBL.