Bibliometric Mapping of Problem-Based Learning in Primary Science Education

The field of Problem-Based Learning (PBL) in primary science education has expanded rapidly over the past decade, yet it remains fragmented and lacks full structural and intellectual coherence. Scholarly collaboration patterns, thematic evolution, and the interconnections among research topics are still insufficiently understood. This study employs a Systematic Literature Network Analysis (SLNA) approach, integrating a PRISMA-guided systematic literature review with bibliometric network analysis, to examine 146 peer-reviewed journal articles published between 2015 and 2025 and indexed in Scopus. VOSviewer and Biblioshiny were used to map co-authorship networks, keyword co-occurrence, citation linkages, and thematic clusters. The findings reveal increasing structural centralization around core pedagogical and curricular themes, establishing PBL as the main conceptual hub in primary science education. At the same time, emerging clusters related to STEM integration, computational thinking, digital learning, and 21st-century competencies occupy peripheral positions, indicating nascent but growing technology-mediated research paradigms. These results suggest a transitional shift from purely instructional implementation toward a broader focus on student competencies, while highlighting gaps in international collaboration and epistemic modeling. Overall, this study provides a rigorous and analytically informed overview of the field, offering a systematic foundation for guiding future research agendas and evidence-based PBL implementation in primary-level science education.