Convergence and Integration: Evolving Frontiers and Paradigmatic Turns in China's Geography Education

This paper employs bibliometric analysis to examine geographical education research published in 84 core CNKI journals between 2003 and 2023. Using CiteSpace, it analyzes article distribution, funding sources, and thematic evolution. The findings indicate a clear shift toward interdisciplinary integration and paradigm innovation, supported by social science funding. Key trends include: disciplinary integration with IT and humanities; a focus on cultivating core competencies like human-environment understanding and holistic thinking; and model innovation through technology-enhanced teaching and talent development. The study highlights a transition from vocational training to competency-based education and from single-discipline approaches to interdisciplinary collaboration, providing theoretical and practical insights for future geographical education.