Exploring the intersection of metaverse and mathematics: a visual analysis of bibliometric networks

Abstract The use of metaverse in mathematics education has revolutionized the way the subject is taught. Metaverse provides immersive and engaging experiences that enhance understanding and enable access to previously inaccessible places. This research discusses papers in the field of metaverse and mathematics, including annual scientific outputs, publication sources, influential authors, most commonly used keywords, trend topics, keyword co-occurrence networks, inter-organizational co-authorship, and co-authorship between countries. The study aims to provide valuable insights for decision-making and transdisciplinary research initiatives. To conduct this study, Bibliometrics, the VOSviewer program, and the Scopus database were utilized to analyze articles on metaverse and mathematics published between 1990 and 2024. The findings highlight the United States, China, and Australia as the leading countries with the most references in this field. Also, a literature review based on the content analysis of the articles was done to categorize the articles in this field. The articles were divided into two categories: teaching mathematics in the metaverse and non-educational purposes. The main focus of this paper is on mathematics education, and researchers have provided useful categories in this regard that can be useful for students, professors, and researchers who are trying to work on these topics. The use of immersive technologies in teaching mathematics and building immersive classrooms and the future of mathematics education in Metaverse were also investigated.