Mapping teacher leadership research in STEM education: A bibliometric analysis of STEM-labeled scholarship (2001–2025)

Abstract

Research reviews highlight the development and patterns of studies, providing directions for future research. Since there have been few studies mapping science illustrating citation trends and frameworks of teacher leadership in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education, we conducted a bibliometric analysis of 73 publications (2001-2025) in Scopus. This study employed Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) criteria to systematically identify and analyse relevant literature. Using VOSviewer software, we conducted co-authorship network analysis, keyword co-occurrence mapping, and citation structure examination to uncover the intellectual landscape of teacher leadership in STEM education. Findings indicate that authors using English as their primary language are more prolific, with the United States contributing 42 of 73 publications analysed. Research output has steadily increased since 2019, with notable growth after 2024, suggesting peaked scholarly interest. Quigley and Spillane emerged as the most cited scholars, and School Science and Mathematics was identified as the most prolific publication venue. Professional development emerged as the most frequently occurring keyword, followed by education, STEM education, teaching, and students. However, critical gaps were identified: the Global South remains severely underrepresented, with minimal contributions from African, Latin American, and Asian scholars; the engineering and technology domains show markedly lower representation compared to science and mathematics, despite the STEM label; and longitudinal or experimental research designs are notably absent. These findings reveal that while professional development dominates current discourse, future research must prioritize geographic inclusivity, genuine interdisciplinary integration across all four STEM disciplines, and methodologically rigorous designs to advance understanding of teacher leadership's sustained impact in STEM education.