A 60 Years Analysis of Blended Learning: Path Towards Clarity or Obscurity in Distance Learning?

The field of blended learning has evolved concurrently with the advancement of technology, where different new concepts appeared, including hybrid learning, mixed-mode instruction, online-merge-offline learning, and physical-hybrid learning. While these concepts might share some common features, they also display different features that require further investigation to better understand them. Massive research on blended learning has been published, though only limited studies have analyzed how this field has evolved over time, and the changes associated with it. To address this gap, this chapter reports a bibliometric analysis of blended learning using the Scopus database. This chapter also provides for a comprehensive coverage of the research areas and trends in blended learning; analyze its developments, challenges, and limitations; and articulate considered directions for future research in blended learning, keeping in view the diversified blended learning formulations, policies, provisions, and possibilities.