GLOBAL RESEARCH TRENDS IN AI-SUPPORTED DIGITAL COMPETENCE OF PRESCHOOL EDUCATORS: A BIBLIOMETRIC ANALYSIS

Abstract

The rapid integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into educational systems has significantly transformed the development of teachers’ digital competence, particularly within the context of early childhood education. Despite the growing body of research on AI in education, studies focusing specifically on preschool educators remain limited and fragmented. This study aims to analyze global research trends related to AI-supported digital competence of preschool educators through a comprehensive bibliometric approach. The data were retrieved from the Scopus database covering the period from 2017 to 2025 and analyzed using the Bibliometrix package in R Studio. The analysis focuses on publication dynamics, influential authors, countries and institutions, citation patterns, and thematic structures based on keyword co-occurrence and clustering. The findings reveal a rapidly expanding research field characterized by strong international collaboration and increasing scholarly interest in recent years. Key research themes include digital transformation, artificial intelligence, teacher competence, and AI literacy, while early childhood education remains underrepresented within the global research landscape. The results also highlight an imbalance between technological advancements and pedagogical readiness, as well as emerging ethical concerns related to AI integration in educational settings. This study contributes to the field by providing a systematic and evidence-based overview of research trends, identifying knowledge gaps, and outlining future research directions. The findings have important implications for teacher training, educational policy, and the development of AI-integrated pedagogical practices in preschool education.