Identifying Research Gap in the Digitalization of Ethnobiology for Science Education: A Systematic Literature Review and Bibliometric Mapping

Authors : Ahmad Aris Arifin; Satutik Rahayu; Agus Ramdani; A. Wahab Jufri
article cite 0 Year 2026
source: International Journal of Contextual Science Education
Abstract

The Sasak, Samawa, and Mbojo (Sasambo) communities in West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia, possess rich biocultural knowledge that is closely related to ethnobiological studies. However, the rapid global development of ethnobiology research has not been accompanied by adequate digital approaches for organizing, disseminating, and utilizing ethnobiological knowledge in science education. This study aims to identify the research gap in ethnobiology digitalization for science education through bibliometric mapping and a systematic literature review (SLR). Bibliometric data were retrieved from the Dimensions AI database using the keyword ethnobiology in publication titles and abstracts, resulting in 1,094 documents published between 1937 and 2025. The data were analyzed using VOSviewer to map publication trends, term networks, and thematic structures in global ethnobiology research. The extraction process identified 3,187 terms, which were filtered to 148 based on occurrence thresholds and further refined to 82 representative terms. The SLR stage followed the PRISMA framework and synthesized 30 Scopus-indexed journal articles relevant to ethnobiology, digitalization, and science education. The findings indicate that ethnobiology research is still dominated by themes related to biodiversity, traditional knowledge, local communities, and health, while educational studies mainly emphasize pedagogical integration and digitalization studies focus on preservation and access. Their intersection in the form of digitally structured ethnobiology resources for science education remains underexplored. These results confirm a clear research gap and provide a conceptual basis for future initiatives, including the possible development of the Ethnobiology-SASAMBO Digital Portal.


Concepts :
Ethnobotanical and Medicinal Plants Studies
Race, Genetics, and Society
Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Agriculture
article cite 0 Year 2026 source International Journal of Contextual Science Education
SDGs
Quality Education
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