Science Mapping Research of Integration Digital Technology and Education for Sustainable Development: A Bibliometric Analysis

Abstract

The integration of digital technology into Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) has received increasing scholarly attention due to its potential to support sustainable and inclusive education. However, the development, thematic structure, and research directions of studies addressing the integration of digital technology and ESD have not been systematically mapped across the broader literature. This study aims to map publication trends, disciplinary contributions, geographical distribution, keyword relationships, and emerging research themes related to digital technology and ESD. Bibliographic data were retrieved from the Scopus database for publications from 2015 to 2025 using the search terms “Digital Technology” AND “Sustainable Development Goals.” The data were processed and analyzed using VOSviewer through publication trend analysis, subject-area and country distribution analysis, keyword co-occurrence analysis, network visualization, overlay visualization, and density visualization. The results show a substantial increase in publications, particularly from 2020 onward, with Social Sciences, Computer Science, Business and Management, and Environmental Science emerging as major contributing fields. India, China, the United Kingdom, and the United States were among the leading contributors. Keyword analysis identified “Sustainable Development Goals,” “digital transformation,” and “sustainability” as dominant themes, while the overlay analysis indicates an increasing research focus on digital transformation, digital platforms, and technological innovation. These findings provide a science-mapping overview of the development and thematic evolution of research on digital technology and ESD and identify potential directions for future research.