Methodology of digitalization research in higher education: data from bibliometric analysis

Aim. To present the methodology and highlight key methods of contemporary Russian-language pedagogical research examining the problems of digitalization of education in higher education.
Methodology. The primary research method was a system approach to analyze trends in the digital transformation of higher education. Content analysis of scientific sources, bibliometric analysis, and elements of textual analysis of pedagogical terminology were used.
Results. The predominant topics of domestic research in pedagogy (2022–2025) covering the challenges and specifics of digitalization of higher education in Russia have been identified. Key research areas in digital pedagogy and digital didactics have been systematized. The scientific methods preferred by Russian educators researching the digitalization of education have been classified and described.
Research implications. An analysis of the methodology for researching digital transformation in education based on a system approach contributes to the development of pedagogical theory, improves the quality of scientific and pedagogical research, and establishes digital pedagogy as a component of digital humanities and an independent branch of pedagogical knowledge. The research results can be useful for higher education teachers and practicing teachers in the context of enhancing their digital and methodological cultures.
Conclusions. The results of the authors’ bibliometric analysis demonstrate an increase in the publication activity of educational researchers covering digital issues, a strengthening of the multi-paradigmatic nature of pedagogical research, and the diversity and interdisciplinary nature of the methods employed by scholars. The development of theoretical and methodological foundations for digital pedagogy aligns with current trends in the modernization of higher education on the path to the emergence of a digital society.

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