E-learning in mixed reality landscape: emerging issues and key trends in scientific research

Abstract

E-Learning aims to apply information and communications technology to enhance and support the learning process and is a popular mode of delivering educational materials in universities throughout the world. Recently, due to the advancements of Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual reality (VR), the E-learning process has great challenges and opportunities ahead. This study intends to explore the current trends in the field of AR/VR applied to distance education research. Using bibliographic data extracted from the Scopus® database and social network analysis techniques were able to analyse author keyword toward the identification of major trends. For the analysis, we collected keywords from research papers published in international journals related to E-learning, AR and VR, between 2006 and 2017, and constructed a co-word network, and then conducted the keywords network analysis. Retrieving the "E-learning" ego-network we could find some clusters that define major trends like virtual environments or evaluations process. The study reveals that E-learning process fits better in AR than VR research. The findings obtained in this study may be useful in the exploration of potential research areas in the field of distance education.