Mapping the Landscape of Scientific Creativity in Science Education: A Bibliometric Analysis

Scientific creativity is increasingly recognised as a key element in promoting innovation, inquiry and problem-solving in science education. This bibliometric study investigates global research trends in scientific creativity from 2015 to 2025. A total of 380 documents were retrieved from the Scopus database and analysed using VOSviewer to generate network visualisations. The analysis focuses on six key aspects: (1) publication trends by year, (2) influential authors, (3) subject area distribution, (4) keyword co-occurrence, (5) author co-citation, and (6) co-authorship by country. The findings show a steady rise in publication output, with notable peaks in 2022 and 2024, reflecting growing academic attention to the field. Shell D.F. and Soh L.K. emerged as the most prolific authors. The Social Sciences dominated the subject area distribution (57.2%), followed by Computer Science, Engineering and Psychology, indicating the field’s interdisciplinary scope. Keyword analysis revealed that “creative thinking” is the most prominent and interconnected term, often linked with education, STEM and digital learning. Co-citation mapping highlighted influential scholars such as Kaufman, Runco, Hu and Bandura, suggesting strong theoretical foundations. Co-authorship analysis showed active regional collaboration, particularly among Southeast Asian countries like Indonesia and Malaysia, while the United States maintained global connectivity through strategic academic partnerships. This study offers a comprehensive overview of the intellectual structure and collaborative landscape of scientific creativity research in science education. The insights provide a valuable foundation for guiding future research, fostering policy development and strengthening international collaboration in promoting creativity within science education.