Research on lifelong learning in Southeast Asia: A bibliometrics review between 1972 and 2019

Abstract

Lifelong learning (LLL) is an evolving field that is expected to contribute to attaining Sustainable Development Goals in education in the 21st century. In line with this expectation, research on LLL in Southeast Asia has been promoted in recent years. The main objective of this study was to investigate the development of scientific publications on LLL in Southeast Asia. We assessed 491 articles and books published between 1972 and 2019, located in the Scopus database, using bibliometric analysis. The results illustrated the current status of LLL research in Southeast Asia and described the research topics investigated during those 47 years. Publications on LLL in Southeast Asia have grown steadily in the 21st century, especially since 2015. Besides the contributions from Anglo-American scholars, indigenous researchers have also played an essential role in developing LLL in Southeast Asia. In recent years, e-learning, education for sustainable development, and the learning society are the dominant topics that have reshaped LLL research in Southeast Asia.