Purpose This study aims to synthesize and visualize the comprehensive landscape of open pedagogy (OP) in higher education (HE) from 1988 to 2024, based on data from the Scopus database. Design/methodology/approach The study followed the PRISMA 2020 protocol for literature screening and employed a combination of bibliometric and qualitative content analysis to examine 79 publications on OP. Findings The evolution of OP can be divided into three main phases: (1) 1980–1994, marked by early studies in the context of distance education, (2) 1995–2015, during which foundational theoretical frameworks emerged and (3) 2016–2024, characterized by a sharp increase in publications. Most research is concentrated in Western countries, primarily the USA, Canada and the United Kingdom, with journal articles accounting for the majority of publications (84%). This trend underscores the need for further exploration in more diverse global educational contexts. David Wiley is the most cited scholar (193 citations), while Virginia Clinton-Lisell has contributed the highest number of publications, with six. Keyword analysis reveals three major thematic clusters reflecting current research directions: (1) the theoretical and philosophical foundations of OP, (2) pedagogical strategies and learner experiences and (3) the impact of OP on HE. Originality/value This study represents the first comprehensive effort to integrate bibliometric methods with qualitative analyses to examine the evolution, philosophy and conceptual development of OP. The resulting visualized insights offer a multilayered perspective on the field's development and provide a valuable foundation for educators and researchers to further advance the open education movement.
Dang et al. (Wed,) studied this question.
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