A Decade of Flipped Classrooms in the English Language Education (2015–2024): A Bibliometric Study

Abstract

This paper presents a bibliometric analysis of 249 journal articles indexed in the Scopus database, focusing on flipped classroom research in the English as a Foreign Language (EFL)/English as a Second Language (ESL) context between 2015 and 2024. It aims to provide a comprehensive overview of publication trends, geographic and institutional contributions, influential authors, citations, keyword co-occurrence, and co-authorship within the field. Data visualisation was performed using VOSviewer and integrated Scopus analytical tools. The results show an overall upward trend in research, with Iran identified as the leading contributing country. High-output authors are primarily from Taiwan, Iran, and Malaysia, while the “Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia” ranks highest among institutional contributors. The most cited article is “Using the flipped classroom to enhance EFL learning”. Keyword analysis indicates that research has focused on “EFL”, “students”, “teaching”, and “higher education”, with recent trends shifting toward “blended learning”, “online learning”, “self-regulated learning”, and “critical thinking”. Collaboration analysis reveals close cooperation among Iranian scholars, with institutional collaborations mainly concentrated in Iran and China, and China at the centre of the collaboration. Research on the flipped classroom in EFL/ESL contexts has expanded and diversified, with technological innovations driving the integration of multiple teaching models to enhance education quality, thereby aligning with Sustainable Development Goal 4 (Quality Education). Despite existing imbalances across countries, regions, and research topics, the field offers opportunities for further investigation. Future studies should address ESL learners, teacher perspectives, and comprehensive language skills, while promoting innovative practices through cross-regional collaboration.