Evolution and Thematic Trends in Educational Virtual Reality Research: A Bibliometric Analysis of Literature from 1994 to 2025

This study aims to examine the intellectual, social, and conceptual structure of the academic literature on virtual reality (VR) in education between 1994 and 2025 using bibliometric analysis. An analysis of 13,913 articles from Web of Science, Scopus, Lens, and PubMed using RStudio's Bibliometrix package reveals that academic interest is increasing rapidly, with a 9.85% annual growth rate. This momentum is largely driven by Generation Z's affinity for technology and the pandemic-accelerated digital transformation. Thematically, the research focus has shifted from fundamental pedagogical advantages, such as concretizing abstract concepts, to advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence and the metaverse, as well as human-centered approaches that emphasize user experience. Productivity analyses confirm that the United States and China are global leaders in publication volume and citation impact. In global networks, institutions like Boston University and the University of Toronto stand out, highlighting a concentration of research around medicine and health education. However, despite a vast academic community of 38,951 authors, the international co-authorship rate is only 1.032%, showing highly limited global collaboration. In conclusion, as educational VR research becomes increasingly multidisciplinary, there is an urgent need to incentivize studies in other disciplines, such as the social sciences, conduct longitudinal research, and implement strategic policies that foster international partnerships.