Researching STEAM in early childhood education between 2013-2023: A bibliometric analysis of Scopus database

Abstract

This study investigates global research trends on STEAM in early childhood education from 2013 to 2023. The bibliometric analysis method was utilized to analyze a dataset of 129 documents extracted from the Scopus database. The results reveal a growing interest in this field, with a notable increase in the number of publications from 2019 to 2023 compared to 2013-2018. The USA leads in both the number of publications and citations. "Early Childhood Education Journal" is the most prominent, while “Sullivan A” and “Bers MU” gain the most significant impact on this research topic. This review study identifies four main thematic clusters: (1) core aspects of STEAM in early childhood education, (2) gender equality in STEAM education, (3) technology and engineering education, and (4) applying this approach to early childhood education. Research trends indicate a growing interest in topics such as computer literacy, creativity, and children's learning processes in STEAM education. The authors propose several recommendations to guide future research in this area.