Bridging the divide between technology and pedagogy: What does a bibliometric analysis reveal about the future of inducing flow in e‐learning?

Abstract Amidst the growth of online education, significantly accelerated by the COVID‐19 pandemic, ensuring learner engagement is a critical challenge. The psychological state of flow, characterized by deep immersion and enjoyment, is crucial for enhancing motivation, academic achievement and reducing high dropout rates in online courses. This study presents a comprehensive bibliometric overview of ‘Flow Experience Research in E‐learning’ to map its intellectual structure and evolutionary trajectory. The analysis covers 166 articles from the Web of Science (WoS) database (2002–2025), utilizing Biblioshiny and VOSviewer to examine publication trends, conceptual structures and knowledge flows. Findings reveal a non‐linear growth trajectory, with a significant publication peak in 2021 driven by the pandemic's impact and a citation peak for works around 2010, marking a golden age of foundational research. Co‐citation network analysis reveals that the field is grounded in a dual theoretical foundation, integrating Csikszentmihalyi's flow theory with the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). Geographically, China leads in publication volume, whereas the United Kingdom shows a much higher average citation impact. Thematic analysis identifies ‘distance learning’ as a motor theme, while ‘gamification’ and ‘COVID‐19’ have emerged as highly specialized niche topics. The field has matured from foundational theory to advanced applications, such as AI. The primary future challenge is to integrate these technology‐driven applications with core instructional design principles to develop holistic and genuinely practical e‐learning frameworks. Context and implications Rationale for this study E‐learning growth necessitates engagement to mitigate attrition. This bibliometric analysis maps 20 years of flow research to clarify intellectual trajectories and inform pedagogy. Why the new findings matter Results reveal a dual Flow‐TAM foundation and distance learning as a motor theme. Evidence identifies AI and gamification frontiers, exposing a mature yet disconnected research landscape. Implications for instructional designers, developers and researchers For designers and developers, the findings highlight the need to integrate technology (AI, gamification) with core pedagogy and ensure fundamental usability to foster a sense of flow. For researchers, this study maps the intellectual terrain, identifying foundational works, key research fronts and a critical gap between technology‐driven applications and instructional theory. It points towards a crucial future direction: developing and validating integrated design frameworks that bridge this divide.