A Critical Bibliometric Review of Technology-Enhanced Vocabulary Learning: Uncovering a Decade of Tensions and Trends

Technology-Enhanced Vocabulary Learning (TEVL) has become a central research area in applied linguistics and language education. While numerous meta-analyses and systematic reviews on TEVL have been conducted, a comprehensive science map illustrating the field’s intellectual structure has been lacking. Therefore, the present study aimed to examine the academic output in TEVL from 2014 to 2024 from a bibliometric perspective. Specifically, annual scientific production, influential documents and sources, key authors and countries, and thematic evolution were analyzed based on 3,307 documents from the Web of Science database. The findings reveal that: (a) The study of TEVL has developed rapidly over the past decade, with a significant acceleration in publications after 2020. (b) Research is concentrated in two primary hubs, the United States and China, with growing participation from countries like Turkey and Iran. (c) Thematic trends show a clear evolution from foundational computer- and mobile-assisted learning to emerging frontiers like artificial intelligence (AI), augmented reality (AR), and gamification. (d) Despite technological advancements, the field exhibits persistent methodological limitations and a notable gap between the implicit theoretical underpinnings and explicit research practice.