This study examines the development of research on differentiated instruction in secondary education through a bibliometric approach, as reflected in Scopus-indexed journal publications. The study aims to analyze publication trends, geographical distribution, intellectual structure, and thematic evolution in order to understand how differentiated instruction has evolved as a pedagogical response to student diversity. Bibliographic data were retrieved from the Scopus database, covering publications from January 1, 2010, to November 18, 2025, and analyzed using performance analysis and science-mapping techniques, including co-citation and co-occurrence analysis. The results indicate a substantial increase in research output since 2019, accompanied by a strong concentration of publications in a limited number of countries, revealing persistent geographical imbalances in knowledge production. The intellectual structure of the field shows a clear distinction between conceptual studies and research focusing on classroom implementation, highlighting an ongoing theory – practice gap. Thematic evolution analysis reveals a shift from foundational discussions of differentiated instruction toward themes related to inclusive education, culturally responsive teaching, formative assessment, and teacher professional development. Although this study does not empirically assess the impact of differentiated instruction on the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4, SDG 4 is used as a conceptual and interpretive lens to examine how dominant research themes align with key targets related to inclusive and equitable quality education and teacher capacity development. Overall, the findings position differentiated instruction as an increasingly important framework within global educational discourse, while also revealing a fragmented and uneven research landscape. Future research should expand geographical representation, integrate cultural contexts more explicitly, and combine bibliometric mapping with empirical approaches to strengthen the connection between theory, practice, and educational policy.
Sugiyanto et al. (Fri,) studied this question.