Academia's responses to crisis: A bibliometric analysis of literature on online learning in higher education during COVID‐19

This paper aimed to provide a holistic view of research that investigated online learning in higher education around the globe during COVID‐19 utilizing a bibliometric analysis. The researchers used co‐citation analysis and text mining afforded by VOSviewer to document and analyze research patterns and topics reported in peer‐reviewed documents published between January 2020 and August 2021. Findings of this study indicated that scholars from 103 countries or regions from the Global North and Global South investigated a wide array of topics, such as use of various technologies and strategies, redesigned curriculum, student perceptions and psychological impacts of the pandemic‐imposed online learning. Many researchers applied technology acceptance theories and structural equation modeling to investigate factors associated with adoption and impacts of the pandemic‐imposed online learning. Of the large quantity of research, medical education and chemical education were the most investigated disciplines. Inquiry‐based learning, discovery learning, hands‐on learning and collaborative learning emerged as instructional approaches frequently discussed or utilized across the target studies. This paper discussed (a) ongoing and emerging challenges to online higher education, (b) placing innovative pedagogies at the forefront of online learning, and (c) rapid, but imbalanced distribution of evolving literature based on the findings. Practitioner notes What is already known about this topic Online learning had attracted growing traction as a flexible and affordable means to complement traditional higher education prior to COVID‐19. Higher education institutions (HEIs), faculty and students around the globe have encountered various challenges and opportunities regarding online teaching and learning during COVID‐19. What this paper adds A bird's‐eye‐view perspective of how HEIs around the globe responded to the pandemic‐imposed online teaching and learning using the bibliometric methodology. Identifications of a large body of research (n = 1061 documents) conducted by scholars from 103 countries or regions that investigated the pandemic‐imposed online higher education, indicating an unprecedented level of participation in this area. An analysis of distinct themes arising from research on the pandemic‐imposed online learning, such as medical education and psychological impact, chemistry curriculum and laboratory‐based instruction and technology acceptance model. Implicat