A BIBLIOMETRIC ANALYSIS OF RESEARCH RELATED TO THE MONTESSORI METHOD IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION

Abstract

The study conducted a bibliometric analysis of 266 publications published in the Scopus database from 1912 to 2024 to assess the research landscape surrounding the Montessori method in early childhood education. VOSviewer software was utilized to process the data and generate visual representations of the findings from articles, authors, publication rates over time, citation counts, and the prevalence of key research themes. Analysis of publication trends from 57 countries revealed instability in the number of publications in the past, and a significant uptick in article production between 2011 and 2024. Citation data highlighted a tendency towards multi-author publications in high-impact journals, with certain works receiving substantial citations across different periods, notably, Lillard AS emerged as a prominent figure in the field. The results also identify untapped aspects of related research topics, indicating potential avenues for future investigation. These findings are crucial for researchers, educators, and policymakers as they navigate future research directions and practical applications in Montessori education.