ADOPTION OF VIRTUAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS: A BIBLIOMETRIC ANALYSIS OF TRENDS AND FUTURE RESEARCH DIRECTIONS

The study performs a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) adoption research from 2001 to 2024 to map the intellectual landscape, identify emerging trends, and guide future research directions in this rapidly evolving field by addressing several research questions.This was done through bibliometric analysis. The Scopus database was searched for relevant documents published between 2001 and 2024, and data were extracted from this source. Biblioshiny, VOSviewer, and R-Studio were used for analysis. The PRISMA protocol was followed to ensure methodological rigour and reproducibility. Analysis showed a 14.61% annual growth rate in publications, with a significant acceleration from to 2017-2024. Six research clusters were identified: virtual learning delivery, immersive technologies, higher education practices, e-learning platforms, pedagogical approaches, and assessment tools. Publication volume and impact were significantly uneven across geography, with selective publishers attaining higher citation rates. The implication of this is that the field has evolved from infrastructure-focused studies to user-centered approaches with artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and learning analytics. This study is restricted to English language publications and Scopus database coverage.