Mapping the Evolution of STEAM Education: A Bibliometric Analysis of Global Trends from 2016 to 2025

This study presents a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) education research from 2016 to 2025, to map publication trends, identify influential sources, authors, and countries, and reveal the intellectual structure and thematic evolution within the field. Data were systematically extracted from the SCOPUS database, resulting in a final sample of 1,097 peer-reviewed journal articles. The analysis employed advanced bibliometric mapping tools, including VOSviewer and Biblioshiny, to examine annual publication output, citation impact, author networks, journal productivity, and keyword co-occurrence. The results indicate a substantial increase in scholarly output, particularly between 2019 and 2024, with a slight decline in 2025, suggesting possible thematic consolidation. The field is characterized by a strong presence of interdisciplinary and international collaborations, with leading contributions from authors and institutions in the United States, China, and Spain. Core research themes have evolved from foundational curriculum integration to encompass creativity, computational thinking, sustainability, and equity. Thematic analysis highlights the emergence of new areas such as digital transformation, environmental education, and maker education. While this study offers a comprehensive synthesis, it is limited to SCOPUS-indexed publications. Future research could expand this scope by incorporating data from other databases or exploring longitudinal citation dynamics across regional clusters.