Research trends in online distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic

Online distance learning emerged as a solution to continue with teaching and learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to more scholarly publications in the field. The current study critically analyzed the publications using a range of scientometric techniques. The journal article was the predominant form of publication, and collaborative research work was preferred by scholars in this domain. The most-cited articles were published primarily in interdisciplinary journals. Most of the papers (43.64%) used quantitative methods, followed by qualitative methods (13.33%), and mixed methods (9.09%). A large proportion of publications (33%) did not indicate a research methodology. Visualizations of research show that the field has focused largely on remote teaching as a new term to depict online distance learning but has also covered a wider spectrum of issues in relation to teaching and learning, with an emphasis on technologies for teaching and learning, assessment, teacher capacities, and institutional preparedness.