Bibliometric Analysis of Curriculum Publications Indexed in Scopus: Trends and Future Research Directions

Abstract

This study presents a bibliometric analysis of Scopus-indexed publications on the Merdeka Curriculum, Indonesia's latest progressive educational framework promoting flexibility and independence in learning. Analyzing publications from 2020 to 2024, the research highlights trends, citations, document types, sources, keywords, affiliations, and visualization trends related to the Merdeka Curriculum. The findings indicate a consistent annual publication growth; publication numbers peaked in 2024, while 2022 recorded the highest citations, reflecting significant interest and impact. Journal articles were the predominant submission type, followed by conference papers, with 15 articles in the AIP Conference Proceedings. Universitas Negeri Malang was identified as the leading institution, with six first-author contributions. VOSviewer visualization revealed three key keyword clusters: students, teachers, and the Merdeka Curriculum. The study also noted a scarcity of publications assessing the Merdeka Curriculum, suggesting a need for future research. Further research should focus on developing and evaluating Merdeka Curriculum assessments. Enhancing international collaboration is recommended to improve research quality and visibility. This study provides a comprehensive overview of the Merdeka Curriculum's academic impact and research focus, aiming to map the scholarly landscape and identify areas for future research to advance educational development in Indonesia.