AI-driven learning in physical education: A bibliometric analysis of trends, knowledge structure, and future research directions
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Background: Although research on AI-driven learning in PE has expanded rapidly, existing studies remain fragmented across disciplines, journals, and methodological approaches, limiting a comprehensive understanding of the field's development and intellectual structure.
Objectives: This study aimed to systematically map the evolution, influential contributors, intellectual structure, dominant themes, and future research directions of AI-driven learning research in physical education from a bibliometric perspective.
Methods: A quantitative bibliometric analysis was conducted using data retrieved exclusively from the Scopus database. A total of 284 eligible documents published between 2020 and early 2026 were analyzed. Descriptive statistics were applied to examine publication trends, authorship, sources, institutions, and country contributions. Network and thematic analyses were performed using VOSviewer (version 1.6.20) and the Bibliometrix package in R to identify co-authorship patterns, keyword co-occurrence networks, and thematic clusters.
Results: The results indicate a sharp growth in AI-driven learning research in physical education after 2022, with publication output increasing more than fivefold from 2020 to 2025. China emerged as the leading contributing country, accounting for nearly half of the total publications, while institutional productivity was concentrated in several Russian universities. Keyword co-occurrence analysis revealed five major thematic clusters shaping the intellectual structure of the field, integrating pedagogical frameworks, computational intelligence, institutional contexts, and physical training models. Dominant research themes centered on pedagogical design, student engagement, adaptive learning systems, and the integration of educational technology. Emerging themes included virtual reality, advanced machine learning techniques, and immersive learning environments.
Conclusions: This study provides a structured and quantitative overview of AI-driven learning research in physical education, highlighting its interdisciplinary nature and rapid expansion.Calderón, A., Meroño, L., & MacPhail, A. (2020). A student-centred digital technology approach: The relationship between intrinsic motivation, learning climate and academic achievement of physical education pre-service teachers. European Physical Education Review, 26(1), 241–262. https://doi.org/10.1177/1356336X19850852
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