Digital Storytelling in Language Learning: A Bibliometric Analysis

Digital storytelling is a powerful tool in language learning that combines narrative, multimedia, and technology to improve learner engagement, motivation, and communication skills. This study employs bibliometric analysis to examine the trend of digital storytelling in language learning between 2010 and 2025. By reviewing publications related to digital storytelling indexed in the Elsevier Scopus database, we collected 431 articles. The analysis uses VOSviewer to visualize co-authorship patterns, citation networks, keyword co-occurrence, and thematic clusters. The statistics show that the trend has significantly increased from 2010 until June 2025, aligning with the rise of digital tools in education. Key contributing countries include the United States, China, and Spain, while the most cited articles focus on research projects adapting literary works into cinematic formats. This paper highlights the three most frequently used keywords in the research: "digital storytelling," "students," and "e-learning." Thematic mapping reveals that the United States occupies a central and dominant position in the global digital storytelling research network. This bibliometric research provides a macro-level overview of the field, offering valuable insights for researchers, educators, and policymakers aiming to leverage digital storytelling in language learning.

bibliometric analysis, digital storytelling, language learning

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