Instructors in video-based and online second language learning: a bibliometric analysis (2007–2025)

With the rapid development of online learning environments and intelligent instructional technologies, video and online instructors have been widely adopted in second language teaching and have emerged as an important research focus in second language education. Based on the Web of Science Core Collection, this study selected 211 journal articles published between 2007 and July 2025 and employed CiteSpace to conduct a bibliometric and visual analysis of research on video and online instructors in second language learning. The results indicate that research in this field exhibits a relatively clear developmental trajectory. Early studies primarily focused on the technological conditions and classroom applications of video-based instruction, followed by an uneven expansion toward instructional models, classroom interaction, and learning processes. Current research on video instructors in second language learning primarily addresses the evolution of technologies and methods, learner experience and affective factors, the expansion of linguistic and cultural literacies, and language interaction and discourse analysis. As the field continues to develop, increasing attention has been paid to the relationships among instructional design, interactional organization, and learning processes, particularly learner affect and engagement. By mapping the developmental landscape of video instructor research through bibliometric analysis, this study provides a systematic basis for future research on instructional design and interaction in video-mediated second language education.