Global Top Ten Hot Topics of Digital Education Research 2026 Released
5月12日,“数字教育研究全球十大热点2026”在2026世界数字教育大会闭幕式上发布。该成果由《数字教育前沿(英文)》(Frontiers of Digital Education)期刊联合国内外顶尖数据公司和著名高校共同完成。
On May 12, the "Top Ten Global Hotspots of Digital Education Research 2026" was officially released at the closing ceremony of the 2026 World Digital Education Conference. This achievement was jointly produced by the journal "Frontiers of Digital Education" in collaboration with leading domestic and international data companies and well-known universities.
Based on nearly 90,000 digital education research papers published worldwide between 2020 and 2025, the "Top Ten Hot Spots in Digital Education Research 2026" was identified through scientometric analysis and in-depth expert mining in the digital education field, resulting in a professional interpretation report. The hot spots are as follows: human-computer collaboration is driving a paradigm shift in intelligent teaching; human-computer interaction is uncovering the deep logic behind learning cognition; risk perception defines the boundaries of digital technology application; teaching competence influences the high-quality transformation of digital intelligence; interdisciplinary teaching promotes the deep coupling of science, technology, and the humanities; educational robots may emerge as a new foundation for intelligent education; adaptive learning systems are accelerating the transformation of learning environments; AI collaborative governance is closely tied to the global landscape of educational security; immersive interactive technologies are reshaping the future of learning; and autonomous learning ability reflects the essential nature of digital education.
Adopting a global perspective and focusing on cutting-edge developments, the "Top Ten Hotspots" interpretation report integrates theoretical construction, practical analysis, and future outlooks. It outlines the academic construction picture of digital education across core dimensions such as intelligent applications, man-machine collaboration, governance security, and the essence of learning. The report aims to provide authoritative guidance for the advancement of global digital education in the intelligent era and will be published in the journal Frontiers in Digital Education (English).
Overall, the 2026 global digital education research hotspots are characterized by "kernel focus, coordinated development, controllable risks, and people-orientation". The research focus has shifted from technology applications to mechanism construction, capability cultivation, and risk governance. This shift provides a clear research direction and practical pathways for the high-quality development and digital transformation of education worldwide. It also serves as an important reference for countries seeking to advance their digital education strategies and build high-quality digital education systems.