Hotspots and development trends in global mathematics education research —based on a quantitative analysis utilizing the CiteSpace knowledge map

Abstract

Utilizing the literature from the Web of Science Core Collection database spanning the years 2013-2023 as a sample, this study employs the bibliometric tool CiteSpace to analyze publication quantity, countries, research institutions, journals, and research topics. The results indicate a rapid development in the field of mathematics education research in recent years, with the United States, England, Germany, Australia, China, and their associated research institutions forming close collaborations, significantly influencing global developments in mathematics education. Summarizing four major research themes, namely teacher professional development, mathematics education and learning, early childhood education, and instructional assessment, it is observed that teacher professional development has consistently been a research hotspot over the past decade. Influenced by the application of new technologies and COVID-19 pandemic impacts, the research suggests that studying teacher noticing and employing continuous, interactive methods for instructional assessment are directions worthy of consideration for future research in mathematics education.