Bibliometric analysis of school improvement research: A century of scholarly contributions

Paul Arjanto; Ibrahim Bafadal; Adi Atmoko; Asep Sunandar

doi:10.21831/jamp.v11i1.59380

Bibliometric analysis of school improvement research: A century of scholarly contributions

Paul Arjanto, Universitas Pattimura, Ambon, Maluku, Indonesia
Ibrahim Bafadal, Universitas Negeri Malang, Malang, Jawa Timur, Indonesia
Adi Atmoko, Universitas Negeri Malang, Malang, Jawa Timur, Indonesia
Asep Sunandar, Universitas Negeri Malang, Malang, Jawa Timur, Indonesia

10.21831/jamp.v11i1.59380

Abstract

This study aims to comprehensively review the historical development and current status of research in the field of school improvement using a bibliometric analysis approach. Recognizing the vital role of schools in society and the necessity for their constant evolution, it is essential to understand the breadth and depth of scholarly efforts in school improvement. Using the Scopus index, 596 English language journal articles on school improvement published between 1916 and 2023 were identified and analyzed. Utilizing the VOSviewer software, the bibliometric analysis was conducted in two stages: descriptive statistics to understand the trend of document volumes and co-authorship countries, and a multidimensional scaling technique to visualize co-authorship, co-occurrence, and citation networks. The data revealed a consistent rise in publication volume over the years, with a peak in 2020. Despite contributions from 45 countries, the United States and the United Kingdom were the most prolific. However, author collaboration was found to be minimal, suggesting potential for broader partnerships. The study also identified key research themes such as leadership, distributed leadership, and accountability through keyword co-occurrence analysis. The most frequently cited literature emphasized the role of collaboration, instructional program coherence, and school culture in school improvement. The findings underscore the necessity for increased global collaboration, exploration of emerging themes, and enhanced geographical representation in future research to further enrich the knowledge base in this vital educational field.

Keywords

bibliometric analysis; educational leadership; knowledge base development; research trends; school improvement

Full Text:

PDF

References

Anderson-Butcher, D., Bates, S., Lawson, H. A., Childs, T. M., & Iachini, A. L. (2022). The Community Collaboration Model for School Improvement: A Scoping Review. Education Sciences, 12(12). https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci12120918

Andreoli, P. M., Klar, H. W., Huggins, K. S., & Buskey, F. C. (2020). Learning to lead school improvement: An analysis of rural school leadership development. Journal of Educational Change, 21(4), 517–542. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10833-019-09357-z

Antoniou, P., Kyriakides, L., & Charalambous, E. (2022). How and under Which Conditions Can We Best Combine Research on School Effectiveness with Research on School Improvement? Establishing Connections Using the Dynamic Approach to School Improvement. Education Sciences, 12(8). https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci12080537

Arjanto, P. (2022). How is Principal Leadership Related to Effective School? International Research-Based Education Journal, 4(2), 163–174. https://doi.org/http://dx.doi.org/10.17977/um043v4i2p%25p

Au, K. H., & Raphael, T. E. (2019). Sustainable school improvement: The gradual release of responsibility in school change. In Literacy Research, Practice and Evaluation (Vol. 10, pp. 67–89). https://doi.org/10.1108/S2048-045820190000010005

Bahamonde, J. A. C., & Bahamonde, D. A. C. (2018). Mapping of the educational reform in Chile. Market, competence and school improvement. Revista Brasileira de Educacao, 23. https://doi.org/10.1590/S1413-24782018230080

Beckmann, L., Kötter-Mathes, S., Klein, E. D., Bremm, N., & van Ackeren, I. (2022). Schools’ improvement capacity and responses to the COVID-19 pandemic: Evidence from schools serving disadvantaged communities. Frontiers in Education, 7. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2022.1008813

Cardoni, M., Fernández-González, A. J., Valverde-Corredor, A., Fernández-López, M., & Mercado-Blanco, J. (2023). Co-occurrence network analysis unveils the actual differential impact on the olive root microbiota by two Verticillium wilt biocontrol rhizobacteria. Environmental Microbiome, 18(1), 21. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40793-023-00480-2

Chen, W.-Y. (2017). Leadership, capacity building and school improvement: Concepts, themes and impact. Contemporary Educational Research Quarterly, 25(3), 105–113. https://doi.org/10.6151/CERQ.2017.2503.04

Chen, X., Chen, J., Wu, D., Xie, Y., & Li, J. (2016). Mapping the research trends by co-word analysis based on keywords from funded project. Procedia - Procedia Computer Science, 91(Itqm), 547–555. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procs.2016.07.140

Cho, S. J., & Kim, T.-G. (2023). A Study on Research Trends in 『Audiology and Speech Research』 Using Keyword Network Analysis. Audiol Speech Res, 19(1), 28–42. https://doi.org/10.21848/asr.220085

Copland, M. A. (2003). Leadership of inquiry: Building and sustaining capacity for school improvement. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 25(4), 375–395. https://doi.org/10.3102/01623737025004375

Creemers, B. P. M., & Reezigt, G. J. (2005). Linking school effectiveness and school improvement: The background and outline of the project. School Effectiveness and School Improvement, 16(4), 359–371. https://doi.org/10.1080/09243450500234484

Davis-Singaravelu, S. (2022). The Potential to Build Collective Capacity for Organisational Learning in the Context of Teachers’ Use of Digital Technology for School Improvement. Education Sciences, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci12010033

Feldhoff, T., Emmerich, M., Radisch, F., Wurster, S., & Bischof, L. M. (2022). Unique Problems Require Unique Solutions—Models and Problems of Linking School Effectiveness and School Improvement. Education Sciences, 12(3). https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci12030158

Fu, Z., Lv, J., Gao, X., Zhang, B., Li, Y., Xu, X., & Zheng, H. (2023). Research trends and hotspots evolution of cardiac amyloidosis : a bibliometric analysis from 2000 to 2022. European Journal of Medical Research, 5, 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40001-023-01026-5

Garfield, E. (2007). The evolution of the science citation index. International Microbiology, 10(1), 65–69. https://doi.org/10.2436/20.1501.01.10

Goddard, Y. L., Goddard, R. D., & Tschannen-Moran, M. (2007). A theoretical and empirical investigation of teacher collaboration for school improvement and student achievement in public elementary schools. Teachers College Record, 109(4), 877–896. https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-35648960421&partnerID=40&md5=88a8203548fd03b8a1e2de3e4e875c04

Gonzales, M. M., Bickmore, D. L., & Roberts, M. B. (2022). Implementing School Improvement Plans: Perceptions and Implications of Aspiring Principals for Educational Leadership Programs. Journal of Research on Leadership Education, 17(2), 160–180. https://doi.org/10.1177/1942775120964821

HabibAgahi, M. R., Kermani, M. A. M. A., & Maghsoudi, M. (2022). On the Co-authorship network analysis in the Process Mining research Community: A social network analysis perspective. Expert Systems with Applications, 206(November 2020), 117853. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eswa.2022.117853

Hallinger, P., & Heck, R. H. (2010a). Collaborative leadership and school improvement: Understanding the impact on school capacity and student learning. School Leadership and Management, 30(2), 95–110. https://doi.org/10.1080/13632431003663214

Hallinger, P., & Heck, R. H. (2010b). Leadership for learning: Does collaborative leadership make a difference in school improvement? Educational Management Administration and Leadership, 38(6), 654–678. https://doi.org/10.1177/1741143210379060

Hallinger, P., & Kovačević, J. (2019). A Bibliometric Review of Research on Educational Administration: Science Mapping the Literature, 1960 to 2018. Review of Educational Research, 89(3), 335–369. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654319830380

Hallinger, P., & Kovačević, J. (2021). Science mapping the knowledge base in educational leadership and management: A longitudinal bibliometric analysis, 1960 to 2018. Educational Management Administration and Leadership, 49(1), 5–30. https://doi.org/10.1177/1741143219859002

Hallinger, P., & Kovačević, J. (2022). Mapping the intellectual lineage of educational management, administration and leadership, 1972–2020. Educational Management Administration and Leadership, 50(2), 192–216. https://doi.org/10.1177/17411432211006093

Hargreaves, D. H. (1995). School Culture, School Effectiveness and School Improvement. School Effectiveness and School Improvement, 6(1), 23–46. https://doi.org/10.1080/0924345950060102

Heller, J., Mahr, D., de Ruyter, K., Schaap, E., Hilken, T., Keeling, D. I., Chylinski, M., Flavián, C., Jung, T., & Rauschnabel, P. A. (2023). An interdisciplinary Co-authorship networking perspective on AR and human behavior: Taking stock and moving ahead. Computers in Human Behavior, 143(February). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2023.107697

Hopkins, D. (2001). School improvement for real. Falmer Press.

Hopkins, D., & Reynolds, D. (2001). The past, present and future of school improvement: Towards the third age. British Educational Research Journal, 27(4), 459–475. https://doi.org/10.1080/01411920120071461

Hoque, K. E., Alam, G. M., & Abdullah, A. G. K. (2011). Impact of teachers’ professional development on school improvement-an analysis at Bangladesh standpoint. Asia Pacific Education Review, 12(3), 337–348. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12564-010-9107-z

Jalali, Z. S., Introne, J., & Soundarajan, S. (2023). Social stratification in networks: insights from co-authorship networks. Journal of The Royal Society Interface, 20(198), 20220555. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsif.2022.0555

Karakose, T., Papadakis, S., Tülübaş, T., & Polat, H. (2022). Understanding the Intellectual Structure and Evolution of Distributed Leadership in Schools: A Science Mapping-Based Bibliometric Analysis. In Sustainability (Vol. 14, Issue 24). https://doi.org/10.3390/su142416779

Kashani, E. S., Naeini, A. B., & Gholizadeh, H. (2023). Innovation systems and global value chains: A Co-citation analysis of established linkages and possible future trends. International Journal of Innovation Studies, 7(1), 68–86. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijis.2022.09.003

Kim, E. J., & Seomun, G. (2023). Exploring the Knowledge Structure of Patient Safety in Nursing Using a Keyword Network Analysis. CIN: Computers, Informatics, Nursing, 41(2). https://journals.lww.com/cinjournal/Fulltext/2023/02000/Exploring_the_Knowledge_Structure_of_Patient.3.aspx

Kim, M.-C. (2023). Exploring the Keyword Network Analysis and Research Trends for Sustainable Development of Paralympic Research: Based on Changes in Classification. In Applied Sciences (Vol. 13, Issue 5). https://doi.org/10.3390/app13053050

Kirbac, A., Burmaoglu, S., & Ozdemir Gungor, D. (2023). Technological intelligence for circular supply chain: a co-citation analysis approach. Foresight, 25(3), 320–333. https://doi.org/10.1108/FS-11-2021-0226

Klein, E. D., & Schwanenberg, J. (2022). Ready to lead school improvement? Perceived professional development needs of principals in Germany. Educational Management Administration and Leadership, 50(3), 371–391. https://doi.org/10.1177/1741143220933901

Kovačević, J., & Hallinger, P. (2019). Leading school change and improvement: A bibliometric analysis of the knowledge base (1960–2017). Journal of Educational Administration, 57(6), 635–657. https://doi.org/10.1108/JEA-02-2019-0018

Kovačević, J., & Hallinger, P. (2020). Finding Europe’s niche: science mapping the knowledge base on educational leadership and management in Europe, 1960–2018. School Effectiveness and School Improvement, 31(3), 405–425. https://doi.org/10.1080/09243453.2019.1692875

Kuzhabekova, A. (2021). A postcolonial feminist exploration of the scholarship on women and educational leadership with a bibliometric approach. Educational Management Administration and Leadership. https://doi.org/10.1177/17411432211003885

Lee, M., & Louis, K. S. (2019). Mapping a strong school culture and linking it to sustainable school improvement. Teaching and Teacher Education, 81, 84–96. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2019.02.001

Lupton, R. (2005). Social justice and school improvement: Improving the quality of schooling in the poorest neighbourhoods. British Educational Research Journal, 31(5), 589–604. https://doi.org/10.1080/01411920500240759

McGinity, R., Heffernan, A., & Courtney, S. J. (2022). Mapping trends in educational-leadership research: A longitudinal examination of knowledge production, approaches and locations. Educational Management Administration and Leadership, 50(2), 217–232. https://doi.org/10.1177/17411432211030758

Mintrop, H., & Sunderman, G. L. (2009). Predictable failure of federal sanctions-driven accountability for school improvement-and why we may retain it anyway. Educational Researcher, 38(5), 353–364. https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189X09339055

Muijs, D., & Harris, A. (2006). Teacher led school improvement: Teacher leadership in the UK. Teaching and Teacher Education, 22(8), 961–972. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2006.04.010

Murillo, F. J., & Krichesky, G. J. (2012). The school change process. A guide for driving and sustaining school improvement. REICE. Revista Iberoamericana Sobre Calidad, Eficacia y Cambio En Educacion, 10(1), 26–43. https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84937432317&partnerID=40&md5=ac3dd8ca0f58c99c85c36e5f4680f4f0

Mustofa, A., Samani, M. & Soedjarwo. (2021). An Investigation of School Improvement Recognition Towards Madrasah’s Teachers in East Java. IJORER : International Journal of Recent Educational Research, 2(3 SE-Articles), 261–274. https://doi.org/10.46245/ijorer.v2i3.112

Newmann, F. M., Smith, B., Allensworth, E., & Bryk, A. S. (2001). Instructional program coherence: What it is and why it should guide school improvement policy. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 23(4), 297–321. https://doi.org/10.3102/01623737023004297

Pan, H.-L. W., & Chen, W.-Y. (2021). Connection between Taiwanese research on school leadership and global scholarship: A bibliometric review. Journal of Research in Education Sciences, 66(2), 175–206. https://doi.org/10.6209/JORIES.202106_66(2).0006

Parlar, H. (2014). School improvement in all aspects. Nobel Publishing.

Pata, K., Tammets, K., Väljataga, T., Kori, K., Laanpere, M., & Rõbtsenkov, R. (2022). The Patterns of School Improvement in Digitally Innovative Schools. Technology, Knowledge and Learning, 27(3), 823–841. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10758-021-09514-5

Peurach, D. J., Lenhoff, S. W., & Glazer, J. L. (2016). Large-scale high school reform through school improvement networks: Exploring possibilities for “developmental evaluation.” Teachers College Record, 118(13), 1–28. https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85009275033&partnerID=40&md5=7d9af9bbb2f3f25f43d0a0d511221f72

Pino-Yancovic, M., Gonzalez Parrao, C., Ahumada, L., & Gonzalez, A. (2020). Promoting collaboration in a competitive context: school improvement networks in Chile. Journal of Educational Administration, 58(2), 208–226. https://doi.org/10.1108/JEA-11-2018-0213

Reynolds, D. (2016). School effectiveness, school improvement and contemporary educational policies. In Education Policy and Contemporary Politics (pp. 65–81). https://doi.org/10.1057/9781403920010_5

Santamaría, L. J., & Santamaría, A. P. (2016). Toward culturally sustaining leadership: Innovation beyond ‘school improvement’ promoting equity in diverse contexts. Education Sciences, 6(4). https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci6040033

Santos, M., & Santos, J. (2016). Co-authorship networks: Collaborative research structures at the journal level. 12, 5–13.

Shavard, G. (2022). From school improvement to student cases: teacher collaborative work as a context for professional development. Professional Development in Education, 48(3), 493–505. https://doi.org/10.1080/19415257.2021.1879216

Shelton, R. C., Cooper, B. R., & Stirman, S. W. (2018). The Sustainability of Evidence-Based Interventions and Practices in Public Health and Health Care. Annual Review of Public Health, 39(1), 55–76. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-publhealth-040617-014731

Smith, P. (1916). The rural school improvement league. The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 67(1), 156–161. https://doi.org/10.1177/000271621606700121

Tian, M., & Huber, S. G. (2020). Mapping educational leadership, administration and management research 2007–2016. Journal of Educational Administration, 58(2), 129–150. https://doi.org/10.1108/JEA-12-2018-0234

Van Eck, N. J., & Waltman, L. (2010). Software survey: VOSviewer, a computer program for bibliometric mapping. Scientometrics, 84(2), 523–538. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-009-0146-3

Van Eck, N. J. Van, & Waltman, L. (2011). Text mining and visualization using VOSviewer. ISSI Newsletter, 7(3), 50–54. https://doi.org/10.1201/b19007

VanGronigen, B. A., & Meyers, C. (2020). Short-cycle school improvement planning as a lever to launch school turnaround: A descriptive analysis of plans. Teachers College Record, 122(5), 69–88. https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85091351192&partnerID=40&md5=f43f28065366a7180d41ac17bdf7fffa

Waite, D. (2010). On the shortcomings of our organisational forms: With implications for educational change and school improvement. School Leadership and Management, 30(3), 225–248. https://doi.org/10.1080/13632434.2010.485183

Yan, K., & Liao, C.-Y. (2023). A co-citation analysis of cross-disciplinarity in the empirically-informed philosophy of mind. Synthese, 201(5), 159. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11229-023-04146-x

Zala-Mezö, E., Bormann, I., Strauss, N.-C., & Müller-Kuhn, D. (2020). Distributed Leadership Practice in Swiss “Eco-Schools” and Its Influence on School Improvement. Leadership and Policy in Schools, 19(4), 673–695. https://doi.org/10.1080/15700763.2019.1631855

Zaytsev, D. G., Kuskova, V. V, Khvatsky, G. S., & Sokol, A. A. (2023). Searching for coherence in a fragmented field: Temporal and keywords network analysis in political science. Network Science, 11(1), 113–142. https://doi.org/DOI: 10.1017/nws.2022.39

Zhang, J.-W., Lo, L. N.-K., & Chiu, C.-S. (2014). Teacher leadership in university–school collaboration for school improvement (USCSI) on the Chinese Mainland. Educational Research for Policy and Practice, 13(3), 199–220. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10671-013-9158-0

Zhu, Z., Yao, X., Qin, Y., Lu, Z., Ma, Q., Zhao, X., & Liu, L. (2022). Visualization and mapping of literature on the scientific analysis of wall paintings : a bibliometric analysis from 2011 to 2021. Heritage Science, 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40494-022-00735-0

Zupic, I., & Čater, T. (2014). Bibliometric Methods in Management and Organization. Organizational Research Methods, 18(3), 429–472. https://doi.org/10.1177/1094428114562629

Zupic, I., & Čater, T. (2015). Bibliometric Methods in Management and Organization. Organizational Research Methods, 18(3), 429–472. https://doi.org/10.1177/1094428114562629

DOI: https://doi.org/10.21831/jamp.v11i1.59380