Mapping the Research Landscape of Student-Centered Learning in Curriculum: A Bibliometric Analysis (2016–2025)

Abstract

One of the primary paradigms in contemporary education is student-centered learning (SCL), which emphasizes students' active participation in the learning process and the development of 21st-century skills. Research SCL in curriculum development has expanded as a result of its growing use in diverse educational settings. Nonetheless, there are still limited studies that trace the conceptual framework, intellectual growth, and research tendencies of SCL in curriculum. The purpose of this study is to map the intellectual terrain of SCL in curriculum research published from 2016 to 2025. Utilizing a bibliometric approach, data was extracted from the Scopus database using the keywords "Student-Centered Learning" and "Curriculum." VOSviewer and Microsoft Excel were employed for data analysis. Findings indicate substantial growth over the decade, with publications increasing from 28 articles in 2016 to 88 articles in 2025, alongside citations rising from 30 to 1,575. Geographically, the United States, Indonesia, and the United Kingdom represent the leading contributors, with Purdue University, Michigan State University, and Universitas Gadjah Mada as the most productive institutions. Keyword co-occurrence analysis identified three primary research domains pedagogical, curricular, and technical. Furthermore, overlay visualization reveals that themes such as artificial intelligence, online learning, critical thinking, and technology integration are emerging as dominant future trends. The findings suggest that SCL has evolved into a central paradigm in curriculum research, continuously adapting to educational changes in the digital era.