Trends in virtual and remote laboratories for physics education: a bibliometric analysis (2014–2024)

Abstract Higher education has undergone a rapid transformation with the integration of digital technologies, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of virtual and remote learning environments. In physics education, tools such as virtual laboratories, remote experiments, simulations, and augmented reality have expanded opportunities for conceptual understanding and interactive learning. This study addresses the fragmented growth of research in this area through a bibliometric analysis of 412 peer-reviewed publications from 2014 to 2024 indexed in Web of Science and Scopus, analyzed with VOSviewer and Scientopy. Specifically, it examines: (RQ1) the global distribution of research and the leading countries and institutions; (RQ2) the main thematic clusters and emerging trends in virtual, remote, and home-based laboratories; and (RQ3) the principal challenges and opportunities for their integration into higher education physics curricula. Results reveal a marked increase in publications after 2020, with strong contributions from the United States, China, and Spain, and growing participation from Latin America. Emerging topics include augmented reality, artificial intelligence, and low-cost home laboratories. Persistent challenges include technological inequity, limited teacher training, and sustainability of implementation. The findings provide a comprehensive overview of global research and highlight strategies for advancing inclusive, effective, and equitable integration of digital laboratories in university-level physics education.