Article

Mapping Knowledge Area Analysis in E‐Learning Systems

Based on Cloud Computing
Adriana Dima 1,*, Alexandru‐Mihai Bugheanu 1, Ruxandra Boghian 1 and Dag Øivind Madsen 2,*

1 Faculty of Management, The Bucharest University of Economic Studies, 010374 Bucharest, Romania
2 USN School of Business, University of South‐Eastern, 3679 Notodden, Norway
* Correspondence: [email protected] (A.D.); [email protected] (D.Ø.M.)

Abstract: Traditional educational systems and learning have been significantly impacted by the
quick growth of information and communication technology. Moreover, the learning process is in‐
creasingly important for socioeconomic and business success in our modern society. Therefore, at
present, cloud computing is crucially important in connection with e‐learning systems. The goal of
this research is to conduct a thorough assessment of scientific production in the field of e‐learning
and cloud technology fields using the bibliometric analysis method’s quantitative approach in order
to comprehensively review and analyze the subject. The current study reviews the literature by fo‐
cusing on specific research areas and revealing certain trends. The research examines 637 articles
published between 2007 and 2022 in the Web of Science database (WoS) using the VOSviewer soft‐
ware version 1.6.18 (Leiden University, The Netherlands) and bibliometrix R‐package. The goal of
this research is to conduct a thorough assessment of scientific production in the field of e‐learning
and cloud technology fields using the bibliometric analysis method’s quantitative approach to com‐
prehensively review and analyze the subject. Currently, there is no unified approach and extensive
bibliometric review that tackle both of these topics cohesively; thus, this research aims to fill this
gap. The results shed light on the structure, evolution, main trends, and effect of the research field
of e‐learning systems based on cloud computing by intensively evaluating and analyzing the scien‐
tific output, key contributions to the subject, and possible directions for future research. The most
productive country in terms of scientific knowledge and number of citations is China. It is notewor‐
Citation: Dima, A.; Bugheanu,
thy that the interest of researchers comes from various regions of the world, while the most prolific
A.‐M.; Boghian, R.; Madsen, D.Ø.
authors come from Serbia, Japan, and Romania. The average citation number per document is 6.8,
Mapping Knowledge Area Analysis
in E‐Learning Systems Based on
while the most citations were obtained by highly influential article about critical factors influencing
Cloud Computing. Electronics 2023, learner satisfaction for successful e‐learning. Regarding the conceptual structure that assists re‐
12, 62. https://doi.org/10.3390/ searchers to understand keyword evolution and trend, four clusters were identified, which reside
electronics12010062 around the topics “Technology”, “Education”, “Delivery Systems” and “Cloud services”. Given
these points, the current study’s implications reveal the significance of e‐learning technologies
Academic Editors: Claudiu George
based on cloud computing, along with the direct correlation between these two elements.
Bocean, Adriana Grigorescu and
Anca Antoaneta Vărzaru
Keywords: bibliometric analysis; e‐learning; smart learning; digital learning; smart education;
Received: 6 December 2022 cloud computing
Revised: 19 December 2022
Accepted: 20 December 2022
Published: 23 December 2022

1. Introduction
Copyright: © 2022 by the authors. Li‐
At this point in time, Electronic‐learning (E‐learning) is a widely established method
censee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This of education. In general, E‐Learning is becoming the preferred method of education in the
article is an open access article distrib‐
uted under the terms and conditions of
future [1] due to an increase in users, a variety of learning services, and the expansion of
the Creative Commons Attribution educational content. A specifically created digital learning environment can facilitate
(CC BY) license (https://creativecom‐ learning at the student’s convenience in terms of time, location, and speed [2]. Such ded‐
mons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
icated platforms can boost student engagement and result in better learning outcomes
with higher levels of satisfaction and competency.

Electronics 2023, 12, 62. https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics12010062 www.mdpi.com/journal/electronics

Electronics 2023, 12, 62 2 of 27

The concept of e‐learning is one of the most cutting‐edge educational technologies

available today, which substantially improves traditional learning systems with the aid of
electronic resources, software programs, and a virtual learning environment. In general,
the term “E‐learning” has several different names and labels such as Distance Learning,
Internet‐Based Training (IBT), Computer‐Based Training (CBT), or Web‐Based Training
(WBT). There are also several definitions for the concept in the scientific literature, which
include:
 Any type of learning that contains web‐based education and is made possible using
the internet service [3];
 Obtaining and using knowledge that is primarily facilitated and delivered by elec‐
tronic methods [4];
 Easing access to resources and services, as well as long‐distance communications and
cooperation, which improves learning quality [5];
 A technology that is able to provide some or all of a course outside a set time and
location [6];
 Exploitation of Information and communication technology (ICT) in a variety of ed‐
ucational processes to assist and improve learning in higher education institutions.
It can include ICT to supplement traditional classroom instruction, online learning,
or a combination of the two [7].
 In its most broad sense, any learning that is facilitated by electronic processes and
hardware [8].
All in all, e‐learning enables the transfer of digitized knowledge from online sources
in the form of electronic educational materials for beneficiaries with the use of electronic
devices such as laptops, desktops, and mobile devices. The aid of non‐electronic education
based on books and lectures is undoubtedly vital, but it is also important to recognize the
value and effectiveness of technology‐based learning.
For this reason, platforms based on cloud computing technology can provide flexi‐
bility and ease in the learning environment to complement conventional learning peda‐
gogies because of a number of inherent features. Additionally, with the capacity to dy‐
namically supply and de‐provision computing resources as necessary, cloud computing
enables flexibility, scalability, pay‐as‐you‐go, and measurable service.
In fact, it is challenging to provide a succinct description of the notion of cloud com‐
puting because both academics and industry consultancy companies are continuously ex‐
amining the subject. In addition, the new resource is still in its early stages, and there is
no universally accepted definition. With this in mind, ref. [9] analyzed 36 definitions of
cloud computing technology with the intention of obtaining a proper overview of the
topic. Refs. [10,11] present cloud computing as a new paradigm that provides distinct fea‐
tures, positive market prospects, and new opportunities.
All in all, in essence, cloud computing is a business model based on information tech‐
nology that is offered as a service over the Internet. It allows for the on‐demand delivery
of hardware and software computing services to customers in a self‐service manner, re‐
gardless of device or location, with high levels of quality, in a dynamically scalable,
quickly provisioned, shared, and virtualized manner, and with little service provider in‐
teraction.
Therefore, e‐learning systems are perfectly suited for cloud computing. To be effec‐
tive, e‐learning systems integrate people, pedagogy, and technology [12]. By the same to‐
ken, e‐learning systems include the use of the internet along with other significant tech‐
nologies to create educational materials, instruct students, and manage courses within a
company or organization [13].
As an illustration, Figure 1 presents the simplified architecture of an e‐learning sys‐
tem based on cloud computing technology. The SaaS, PaaS, and IaaS acronyms are used
with the following interpretation:
 SaaS = Software as a service: user information, applications, business processes;
Electronics 2023, 12, 62 3 of 27

 PaaS = Platform as a service: programming processes, databases, execution;

 IaaS = Infrastructure as a service: network, servers, operating systems, storage.

Figure 1. A simplified cloud computing‐based E‐Learning system architecture. Source: The authors.

To put it another way, the development of a digitally literate workforce and the sat‐
isfaction of the continuing demands of society for fast and lifelong learning skills offered
in increasingly convenient ways are made possible by e‐learning [14]. Integrating materi‐
als into e‐learning platforms and facilitating easy access across platforms can greatly in‐
crease the learning process and boost learning effectiveness.
Equally important, the recent advancements in cloud computing technologies have
transformed the Internet’s static nature into one that is highly dynamic, enabling users to
run various software applications and communicate effortlessly, exchange information,
create apps, or learn online. For this reason, cloud computing represents one of the newest
technological innovations that is expected to have a meaningful impact on the teaching
and learning process. Moreover, the need for e‐learning in the corporate sector is contin‐
uously rising, which creates more and more opportunities for higher education available
online.
At the same time, e‐learning processes generally need a lot of technology and soft‐
ware. Coupled with the fact that many educational institutions cannot afford to make such
investments, cloud computing could be an appropriate solution. Of course, the installa‐
tion of an e‐learning system based on cloud computing has certain unique challenges and
requires a particular strategy [15]. First, cloud computing systems are greatly scalable
which generates easy, simple, and straightforward resources for users. Secondly, clients
do not require any specialized understanding of the Cloud concept in order to use tech‐
nology to link their machines to the server where applications have been set up and are
being used.
Electronics 2023, 12, 62 4 of 27

With this in mind, the uniqueness and strengths of this study are demonstrated by
the fact that it summarizes and reports the findings of important papers on the topic of
cloud‐based technology for E‐learning.
The current research includes 637 papers examined directly from the WoS database
applying the bibliometric research method to enhance our understanding and knowledge
of the subject. Due to its methodical approach to study selection, the bibliometric analysis
presents a significant contribution to the field of cloud computing and e‐learning research.
Additionally, the findings of the current research can be used to highlight the knowledge
gaps in the literature.
A bibliographic review is a research method that provides useful statistical analysis
and a comprehensive representation for researchers working on examining scientific
knowledge on a certain topic [16]. The approach, which is also known as science mapping,
can be used to study both broad areas of interest and more specific domains [17]. Further‐
more, the method is a useful tool for researchers to reconstruct and translate qualitative
data into quantitative data.
Thus, the current paper advances this research method considering that it offers a
thorough understanding of the e‐learning system in direct relation to cloud computing
technology. Equally important, the study can serve as a future resource for academics.
With this in mind, the objective of this study is to analyze the research on e‐learning
systems based on cloud computing that has been published between 2007 and 2022, by
proposing the following research questions:
RQ1: What is the frequency of scientific knowledge on e‐learning systems based on cloud
computing?
RQ2: What are the leading countries/regions, research entities, funding agencies regard‐
ing scientific production on e‐learning systems based on cloud computing?
RQ3: What are the associated research topics and the main research clusters on e‐learning
systems based on cloud computing?
RQ4: What are the significant future research directions in this field?
In effect, 637 articles from the WoS database and analyzed using the bibliometric re‐
view approach to address these research questions. As a result, the information and the
meta‐data linked to these publications was examined and investigated. The research cov‐
ered a variety of articles such as literature, including co‐citation analysis studies and de‐
scriptive statistics studies.
Generally speaking, the research’s findings helped us identify the fundamentals in‐
fluencing agents and patterns in e‐learning and cloud computing processes, not to men‐
tion the opportunity to complete the knowledge gaps. Overall, our study’s bibliometric
review is useful both for researchers and academics, in conjunction with business or edu‐
cational organizations.
The rest of this paper is structured in the following way: The next chapter evaluates
the literature review and the knowledge background. The methodology framework is
then explained along with the results of the papers. Finally, the discussions and conclu‐
sions are presented in Section 6 clarifying the research’s findings. Section 6 also identifies
the limitations of the current paper.
To the authors’ knowledge, this study represents the first bibliometric analysis of re‐
search on e‐learning systems based on cloud computing. The primary contribution of this
research is that it provides a comprehensive assessment of the leading countries, organi‐
zations, publications, and authors, along with the most cited publications and upcoming
research agendas for E‐learning systems based on cloud computing. Researchers may ben‐
efit from this study since it provides a general understanding of the thoroughly examined
domain so that they can investigate new approaches in the area of cloud‐based e‐learning
systems. Furthermore, this research can also facilitate public and private universities and
research centers with a more profound understanding of the future directions regarding
the development of e‐learning systems based on cloud computing.
Electronics 2023, 12, 62 5 of 27

Overall, our study’s bibliometric review is useful both for researchers and academics,
in conjunction with business or educational organizations.

2. Literature Review
2.1. E‐Learning
In different situations, the phrase “E‐learning” has distinct connotations [18]. How‐
ever, definitions of e‐learning may be divided into two groups, the first of which focuses
on the use of network technology. E‐learning is described by [19] as “the use of internet
technology to offer a wide range of solutions that improve knowledge and performance.”
E‐learning is described similarly by [20] as “the use of network technology to develop,
distribute, choose, administrate, and expand learning”.
The second group encompasses all forms of electronic media. Ref. [2] defined e‐learn‐
ing as “the acquisition and application of information that is transmitted and assisted
principally through electronic methods.”
This type of learning is now reliant on networks and computers. E‐learning, accord‐
ing to [21], “includes teaching given by all electronic media, including the Internet, intra‐
net, satellite broadcasts, extranet, audio or video tape, interactive TV, and CD‐ROM.”
The definition and methods of e‐learning are discussed in terms of the junction of
education, teaching, and learning with information and communication technologies. It is
unquestionably inspired by two other fields: educational technology and distance educa‐
tion. Both have made major contributions to the widespread use of ICT for academic pur‐
poses, but neither is synonymous with e‐learning (Table 1).

Table 1. Definitions of e‐learning.

“E‐learning refers to the use of electronic media for a wide range of educational goals ranging from supple‐
Definitions Based on menting traditional classroom functions to completely replacing face‐to‐face interactions with online en‐
Technology counters.” [22].
E‐learning is a type of distance education that uses cloud resources [23].
E‐learning refers to the delivery of education (including activities related to educating, teaching, and learn‐
ing) using electronic means [24].
Definitions based on
E‐learning is described as “the self‐paced or real‐time delivery of training and education to an end‐user de‐
Delivery Systems
vice over the internet” [25].
“E‐learning is the electronic transmission of a learning, coaching, or teaching program” [26].
“E‐learning implies learning that is based on information and communication technology and includes ped‐
Definitions based on
agogical interactions among students and the subject, students and the professors, or among students over
Communication
the web.” [27].
“E‐learning is described as the use of information and communication technology to assist students in im‐
Definitions based on proving their learning” [28].
Educational Paradigm “E‐learning relates to learning systems that use information and communication technology to manage both
asynchronous and synchronous teaching and learning activities” [29].

As a study topic, e‐learning continues to deepen and evolve its ideas and methods in
order to solve current educational difficulties from a didactical, methodological, and tech‐
nical standpoint [30]. The solutions developed to grow more fitted to the preferences and
teaching styles of the learners, more intelligent, boosting learning and teaching perfor‐
mance, and more complicated, automating more and more learning programs. This con‐
tinual growth of e‐learning is led by the pervasive use of technology, a properly devel‐
oped technologically driven society, and as a result, increased needs of learners.
Electronics 2023, 12, 62 6 of 27

2.2. Cloud Services

Cloud computing is a new computer model that allows customers to access their pro‐
grams from anywhere, using any type of connected device. Cloud computing emerged
from grid computing, utility computing, and software as a service (SaaS) principles. It is
a new concept in which users may access their apps from any location at any time via their
linked devices. Users can see the cloud infrastructure that supports the apps thanks to a
user‐centric interface.
Cloud computing can boost resource usage and hence minimize IT hardware needs.
Furthermore, it has the potential to reduce global CO2 emissions through virtualization at
the hardware and software levels [31], allowing for resource abstraction for numerous
execution contexts.
Cloud services are classified into three major service models, each of which is re‐
garded as a layer in the cloud. The Infrastructure as a Service layer is the first (IaaS). The
entire IT infrastructure may be supplied as a service at this tier. The second tier is Platform
as a Service (PaaS), which is a virtual platform accessible via the internet that allows cus‐
tomers to design and deploy applications. Software as a Service is the third layer (SaaS).
SaaS is the most basic layer in this category; it refers to on‐demand access to a service
through the internet. The CSP offers a single cloud instance for numerous users at the SaaS
layer.
New technologies pique the interest of academics not only because of their economic,
political, and socio‐cultural impact but also because of their self‐generation process, which
is abundantly visible in our day and age. Cloud computing is one of the outputs of such
a process, in which one technological solution or a mixture of many of them gives birth to
a new one. Cloud computing, as a collection of numerous technologies created since the
1960s, has rapidly revolutionized the way people see computer resources in the twenty‐
first century [32]. Cloud computing has grown as a future utility power by utilizing ho‐
mogeneous and worldwide networks based on common assets and protocols [33].
Cloud computing ascended to the status of a worldwide phenomenon by ushering
in the beginning of digitizing enterprises, government agencies, financial organizations,
schools and universities, medical facilities, homes, and other market actors [34–36]. Hard‐
ware and software for information technology have never been more readily available
than they are now [37,38]. This sparked heated discussion among scholars and practition‐
ers on a wide range of topics related to cloud computing, the opportunities it opens, and
the impact it has on human existence.
According to our investigation, various studies have introduced and discussed the
advantages of using cloud systems in the e‐learning process [39,40], while other studies,
such as [41,42], have initiated the variables that are affected in the educational process,
such as reliability and performance, as a result of using the cloud computing environment
in the education process. More researchers, such as in [43], presented a cloud‐based e‐
learning system that lacked a study on the attitude and strategy for migration to the sug‐
gested cloud‐based architecture. Another study [44] provided an e‐learning environment
based on cloud computing; however, the given environment concentrated on exploiting
existing web services to deliver the required web applications, with no objective of devel‐
oping the necessary services throughout the learning process.

2.3. E‐Learning Systems Based on Cloud Computing

With the massive increase in the number of students, educational content, services
that may be provided, and resources made available, the dimensions of e‐Learning sys‐
tems rise at an exponential rate. The issues associated with this topic, such as optimizing
resource computation, communication, and storage demands, and coping with dynamic
concurrent requests, underline the importance of using a platform that satisfies scalable
expectations while also controlling costs. This refers to the cloud computing ecosystem.
Electronics 2023, 12, 62 7 of 27

With the advancement and application of technology, the introduction of cloud com‐
puting provides e‐learning with a unique opportunity to flourish (Figure 2). The school
or organization does not need to be concerned with the building of an e‐learning software
and hardware environment, nor do they need to commit large cash and people and mate‐
rial resources to build the system. All these concerns may be delegated to e‐learning cloud
service providers who can tailor for users.

Figure 2. Advantages of using cloud computing in e‐learning. Source: The Authors.

Cloud computing may help e‐learning systems by using:

 Infrastructure: include an e‐learning alternative on the provider’s infrastructure;
 Platform: use and create an e‐learning solution using the provider’s development in‐
terface;
 Services: utilize the provider’s e‐learning solution.
Because e‐learning and cloud computing are two major concepts in academic re‐
search, Table 2 displays fifteen previously published articles that have been analyzed in a
specific manner. In addition, the table lists the 15 most‐cited e‐learning and cloud compu‐
ting articles published between 2021 and 2022 (so far).

Table 2. Previous literature analysis.

Year Subject Area Reference Purpose Methodology/Sample Findings

The findings highlight several
major research issues, including
It analyzes 555 smart learn‐ interactive and multimedia
Education and It comprehensively reviews
ing documents from the learning, STEM education, at‐
2021 Educational Re‐ [45] the research field of smart
Scopus database using tendance, and attention recogni‐
search learning.
topic modeling analysis. tion, blended learning for smart
learning, and affective and bio‐
metric computing.
Significant contributing aspects
of CCA by Indian PUs include
A total of 304 Indian PUs, competitive advantage, techno‐
Computer Sci‐ It examines the factors that im‐
(65% of total Indian PUs) logical compatibility, technology
2021 ence Materials [46] pact CC adoption (CCA) by
are surveyed using ques‐ readiness, senior leadership sup‐
Science HE institutions (HEIs) in India.
tionnaire‐based research. port, security concerns, govern‐
ment support, and vendor sup‐
port.
Electronics 2023, 12, 62 8 of 27

It gives a theoretical overview

In this study, 100 people
Education and of the layers of e‐learning The progress of training content
evaluated the teaching
2021 Educational Re‐ [47] cloud architecture and the de‐ is the result of the introduction
qualities of Blackboard
search ployment strategies for it in of cloud computing in education.
Learn.
the educational system.
It examines how the perfor‐
mance of employees’ e‐learn‐ Virtual learning environments,
ing programs based on a cloud‐based services, IoT‐based
Using Smart PLS 3.2, the
framework is influenced by systems, and evaluation tools are
Computer Sci‐ research model and the
2022 [48] IoT‐based systems, cloud‐ four key elements that have a
ence questionnaire data have
based services, virtual class‐ substantial impact on attitude,
been examined.
rooms, evaluation tools, atti‐ content management, and crea‐
tude, content management, tivity.
and creativity.
It examines e‐learning cloud It included 60 participants A move to cloud computing can
Computer Sci‐ architecture deployment types and looked at how Black‐ advance educational resources
2021 [49]
ence and levels in the educational board Learn functions as a and significantly enhance stu‐
system. teaching tool. dent academic performance.
To verify the applicability
of the suggested algorithm,
two techniques are used: The findings showed that the
Computer Sci‐ In this study, a novel load‐bal‐ (a) a simulation experi‐ students’ chosen sector of e‐
2021 [50]
ence ancing algorithm is proposed. ment; and (b) a real‐case learning had a satisfaction rate of
experiment applied to the 95.4%.
e‐learning system at
Helwan University.
In this instance, a config‐
It offers a neural network‐ The results gained pave the way
Computer Sci‐ ured course and its materi‐
based methodology for fore‐ for developing software tools for
ence Engineer‐ als were on a Moodle
2021 [51] casting how much computing providing computing resources
ing Telecommu‐ server that had been de‐
power e‐learning platforms for e‐learning platforms on de‐
nications ployed inside of a Google
will use. mand.
Virtual Machine.
To impact the recipient’s The findings provide evidence of
In order to suggest suitable so‐
desire to embrace and use the proposed model’s critical im‐
Business and lutions, it examines concerns
2022 [52] cloud computing, a multi‐ portance in facilitating cloud
Economics about the acceptance and use
dimensional model was computing e‐learning adoption
of e‐learning technologies.
put forth. and usage.
Using a systematic study The results offer a variety of cri‐
Without taking a comprehen‐
and exploratory methodol‐ teria for evaluating the require‐
sive look at applied crypto‐
ogy, it examines crypto‐ ments of cryptographic ap‐
graphic algorithms and their
Computer Sci‐ graphic methods used to proaches and propose a frame‐
2022 [53] actual application, it concen‐
ence safeguard data throughout work for multi‐agent software
trates on particular aspects of
the entire spectrum of end‐ implementation across an end‐
cloud computing and online
to‐end cloud‐based e‐learn‐ to‐end cloud‐based e‐learning ar‐
education.
ing services. chitecture.
Uses an unsupervised learning
Investigated are numerous
model with fixed‐weight Ham‐ The study’s findings and analy‐
attack approaches and ma‐
Computer Sci‐ ming and Mexiannet to iden‐ sis offer a 94.05% accurate evolu‐
2022 [54] licious instructions that tar‐
ence tify malware that targets tion of the unsupervised learning
get unidentified files in
cloud‐based software solu‐ detection technique.
cloud services.
tions.

Analyzing Table 2, different and diverse research methodologies utilized by re‐

searchers can be seen in studies produced between 2021 and 2022. Because the concepts
of “e‐learning” and ”cloud computing” are broad, how they are used varies by industry,
Electronics 2023, 12, 62 9 of 27

and writers have employed a variety of study approaches to better explain the benefits of
these notions.

2.4. Acceptance and Use of Cloud‐Based E‐Learning

Over the past decade, most research on cloud computing adoption has focused on
the use of technology in corporate organizations rather than physical solutions. Previous
research in e‐learning‐based cloud computing has solely focused on the function of cloud
computing applications in higher education [55,56].
The acceptability of technology has been extensively studied in information systems
research. Several studies have been conducted to investigate behavioral intent, which is
cognizant of the user’s decision to adopt the technology. Several ideas have been devel‐
oped to explain the behaviors seen in various previous studies.
Although there has been an increase in interest in the adoption of cloud computing,
there has so far been a scarcity of studies in cloud‐based e‐learning, with the majority of
extant cloud studies being business‐related. Thus far, most of the studies have been con‐
ducted on corporate groups, and there has been minimal attention paid to educational
institutions. Furthermore, the intended respondents in past research studies were fre‐
quently IT experts or technicians [57].

3. Materials and Methods

Nowadays, academic publications are being produced at an increasingly rapid rate.
This amplifies the difficulty for researchers, policymakers, public and private organiza‐
tions, or scholars to remain updated and be informed about the state of the art in a certain
field.
Scientometrics focuses on the quantitative examination of the textual elements and
characteristics of scientific writing. It is regarded as the study of science [58]. The purpose
of scientometrics is to assess the growth of a scientific area, the impact of scientific jour‐
nals, authorship trends, and the methods used to produce scientific knowledge. Gener‐
ally, scientometrics is focused on examining the distribution of scientific production, eval‐
uating research, and assessing the scientific contribution of authors, publications, and spe‐
cific publications. Consequently, researchers create methodological guidelines for extract‐
ing data using techniques such as social network analysis, citation analysis, text mining,
or syndicated terminology analysis [58]. The research paradigms and new trends are re‐
vealed by statistical indices derived from scientometric analysis, which are based on the
breakdown and identification of relationships between various articles [59]. Scientific lit‐
erature is frequently categorized in scientometric research utilizing abstracts, keywords,
and titles.
Bibliometrics represents the branch of scientometrics that evaluates the production
of scientific documents using mathematical and statistical methods [60]. Recent years have
witnessed a rapid increase in the development of bibliometric analysis as a major scientific
endeavor, and bibliometrics have been extensively applied in a variety of research sub‐
jects, such as business [61], cloud computing [62], computer science [63], food [64], man‐
agement [65], mathematics [66], smart learning [45,67], and many others. The bibliometric
analysis represents a critical component of study area development because it offers a
thorough audit trail to disseminate and validate current research while also paving the
way for new studies to be conducted [68].
The main objective of this paper is to investigate the knowledge area in e‐learning
systems based on cloud computing through bibliometric analysis. Thus, this research aims
to provide a critical overview of scientific knowledge and to highlight the trends and pat‐
terns in e‐learning systems based on cloud computing research, identifying the most sig‐
nificant underlying ideas and knowledge gaps. The results highlight the structure, evolu‐
tion, main trends, and impact of e‐learning systems based on the cloud computing re‐
search field by rigorously determining and assessing the scientific output, the key contri‐
butions to the subject, and the significant directions of future research.
Electronics 2023, 12, 62 10 of 27

To apply the bibliometric analysis, a protocol is required to allow researchers to an‐

ticipate problems, avoid arbitrary judgments, uphold study integrity, and increase re‐
sponsibility [69]. Various protocols and research frameworks that can be applied in the
bibliometric analysis are presented in the literature: bibliometric analysis toolbox [70], bib‐
liometric protocol [60,71,72], and research design of bibliometric analysis [73–76]. The bib‐
liometric protocol of the present research is adapted by the authors after analyzing the
information from the above‐mentioned sources and developing the specified frames to
the objectives of the current study (Figure 3).

Figure 3. Research Protocol adapted from [60,72].

Phase I of the bibliometric procedure represents the planning of the review process
that starts with research question formulation and data collection. The selected database
for document collecting was Clarivate Web of Science (WoS) because it is a very compre‐
hensive bibliographic data source [77], it is considered the most reliable database of pub‐
lications and citations in the world [78] and it covers a large time frame with a low per‐
centage of duplicated entries [77].
The next step represented a keyword search in WoS using the keywords: “e‐learning”
AND “cloud computing” in the “All fields” section of the database. The search took place
on 19 September 2022 and 638 documents were generated. One document was an early
access article with the publication year 2023 and it was eliminated from the list, as the year
2023 has not started yet and no other indicators are available. Thus, the database consists
of 637 documents, published between 2007 and 2022.
Electronics 2023, 12, 62 11 of 27

Phase II of the bibliometric protocol consists in conducting the review process by

applying the following techniques:
 Descriptive statistics explore the development of yearly scientific production, the dis‐
tribution of publications regarding document type, areas of study, most prolific au‐
thors, and the distribution of scientific knowledge in terms of countries/regions and
research entities.
 Performance analysis investigates the evolution of scientific knowledge related to the
citations recorded for the publications analyzed.
 Science mapping consists of three other subtopics: conceptual structure: co‐word
analysis; intellectual structure: co‐citation analysis and social structure: co‐author
analysis.
Science mapping is achieved using the VOSviewer program (version 1.6.18, Leiden
University, The Netherlands) and bibliometrix R‐package. Using the visualization of sim‐
ilarities (VOS) mapping technique, bibliometric networks are created based on relation‐
ships between co‐citations, co‐authorships, or bibliographic coupling [79]. Additionally,
it has text‐mining capabilities for building co‐occurrence networks of pertinent phrases
gathered from a variety of scientific publications [80]. The bibliometrix R‐package
(http://www.bibliometrix.org, accessed on 2 October 2022) contains tools for conducting
quantitative research in bibliometrics and scientometrics, developed in R. The availability
of large, effective statistical algorithms, access to high‐quality numerical routines, and in‐
tegrated data visualization capabilities are compelling reasons to choose R over other lan‐
guages for scientific computation [81].
Phase III of the bibliometric protocol refers to presenting the research findings, which
in this case consists of an extensive content analysis and evaluation of scientific produc‐
tion. Finally, themes and potential topics for future research are determined and pre‐
sented.

4. Results
4.1. Descriptive Statistics
This section of the research evaluates the most relevant characteristics of scientific
production, including an assessment of the development of yearly scientific production,
explores the distribution of publications regarding document type, areas of study, most
prolific authors, most productive journals, the distribution of scientific knowledge in
terms of countries/regions, research entities and funding agencies.
Table 3 presents the elements that depict the set of documents related to e‐learning
systems based on cloud computing. The publications extend over a relatively short period
of time, namely 15 years, an indicator that the topic of e‐learning systems and cloud com‐
puting the researchers’ interest in this topic is recent and it is important to investigate the
knowledge production in this field. The annual growth range which is relatively high
(20.3%) and the average age of each document (6.25 years) confirm the novelty of the topic
and support the usefulness of studying it. It is remarkable the high number of proceedings
papers, which predominate in comparison to journal articles. With reference to the collab‐
oration between authors, most papers are co‐authored, with approximately three authors
per paper suggesting a medium level of collaboration between authors. Moreover, the
interest in the field of e‐learning systems and cloud computing arouses the attention of
authors from various countries, and the degree of international collaboration is a signifi‐
cant one (18.37%).
Electronics 2023, 12, 62 12 of 27

Table 3. Descriptive elements of the set of documents (Source: Biblioshiny, based on WoS data).

Description Results
MAIN INFORMATION ABOUT DATA
Timespan 2007:2022
Sources (Journals, Books, etc.) 480
Documents 637
Annual Growth Rate % 20.3
Document Average Age 6.25
Average citations per doc 6.826
DOCUMENT CONTENTS
Keywords Plus (ID) 276
Author’s Keywords (DE) 1687
AUTHORS
Authors 1709
Authors of single‐authored docs 77
AUTHORS COLLABORATION
Single‐authored docs 77
Co‐Authors per Doc 3.25
International co‐authorships % 18.37
DOCUMENT TYPES
article 148
article; book chapter 6
article; early access 5
meeting abstract 1
proceedings paper 472
review 5

4.1.1. Annual Scientific Production

To present an answer to research question number 1 (RQ1), a rapid increase in the
volume of research on e‐learning systems based on cloud computing during the period
2009–2014 (Figure 4) has been observed. After this date, the evolution of scientific produc‐
tion in the analyzed topic experienced significant fluctuations. In 2020, the number of pub‐
lications decreased. This coincided with the onset of the global COVID‐19 pandemic,
which led to the imposition of restrictions on access to the traditional education system
and its replacement with online learning. Thus, research in the field has mainly focused
on online learning which has gained much attention, while the term e‐learning has been
included less and less as a keyword in publications over the last three years.

Figure 4. Evolution of the annual scientific production and exponential variation between periods.

4.1.2. Research Area Distribution

A multidisciplinary study is being conducted on the topic of e‐learning and cloud
computing. Given that it has evolved as a result of many different fields, its study is
Electronics 2023, 12, 62 13 of 27

complex. Figure 5 illustrates the main subject areas (WoS categories) into which scientific
production is classified on e‐learning and cloud computing during the 2007–2022 period.
It is worth mentioning that the same document can be included in various categories that
seem appropriate for the research undertaken and this aspect can bias partial and total
data. E‐learning systems and cloud computing can be applied in various domains, and
therefore theoretical and practical research on this topic has been recorded in many WoS
categories. Most published documents were included in the following subject areas:
“Computer science” (64.7%), “Engineering” (28.6%), “Educational Research” (27.8%),
“Telecommunications” (11%), and “Business Economics” (3.1%). The results for the re‐
search area distribution related to this topic indicate that the main concerns of the scholars
aim towards technology and delivery systems, rather than communication and education.

Figure 5. Most Published Categories in WOS.

4.1.3. Type of Scientific Production

As presented in Table 3, most of the scientific production on e‐learning systems based
on cloud computing consists of proceedings papers, namely 74.09% of total documents.
Only 148 of the publications are articles (23.23%) and the remaining 2.67% consist of book
chapters, early access articles, meeting abstracts, and review papers. Being a relatively
recent field, the authors rely more on short communication papers and empirical research,
than on detailed data analysis and evaluation of the field. This finding can constitute a
future research direction for authors studying these topics.

4.1.4. Most Prolific Authors

Based on the data retrieved from WoS, 1709 authors published a minimum of one
paper on the documented topic, and 77 papers were single‐authored. Table 4 presents the
10 most prolific authors in the field of e‐learning and cloud computing. These writers pro‐
duce cutting‐edge papers that considerably broaden scholars’ and practitioners’ under‐
standing. A diversity of countries of affiliation of the authors can be observed, studies on
the analyzed field come from all continents, with the exception of Africa. It is noteworthy,
therefore, that the interest of researchers from various regions for studies on e‐learning
and cloud computing, but also the fact that this topic is approached especially by young
authors, usually at the beginning of their careers, who have noticed the importance and
practical applicability of research on this topic. The most productive authors are Bogda‐
novic Zorica, from University of Belgrade, Serbia; Kanenishi Kenji from Kagawa
Electronics 2023, 12, 62 14 of 27

University, Japan; Liu Leyuan, affiliated at Central China Normal University, China;
Suciu George from University “Politehnica” of Bucharest, Romania and Togawa Satoshi
from Shikoku University, Japan, each with six published documents.

Table 4. Most prolific authors.

Rank Author P C Affiliation Country H‐Index

1 Bogdanovic,Zorica 6 21 University of Belgrade Serbia 20
2 Kanenishi, Kenji 6 10 Kagawa University Japan N/A
3 Liu,Leyuan 6 26 Central China Normal University China 10
4 Suciu, George 6 7 University “Politehnica” of Bucharest Romania 24
5 Togawa, Satoshi 6 10 Shikoku University Japan N/A
6 Ding, Zhijun 5 23 Tongji University China N/A
7 Kinshuk 5 19 The University of North Texas USA 60
8 Simić, Konstantin 5 35 University of Belgrade Serbia 9
9 Antonopoulos, Nikos 4 21 Ionian University Greece 7
10 Caballé, Santi 4 142 UniversitatOberta de Catalunya Spain 27
P = Number of publications; C = Citations for the documents included in the analysis set; N/A = Not
available.

4.1.5. Most Productive Publishers

It was found that 85 journals and conference proceedings published 637 articles on
the topic of e‐learning systems based on cloud computing. Table 5 lists the top 10 publish‐
ers and the top 10 journal sources in order of the number of articles published in each of
them. In the top 10 most productive publishers, 491 papers, or 77.08% of the total, were
published. The proceedings of the IEEE International Conference on Granular Computing
published the most papers, totaling 244 (38.3%). The most productive journal is the Inter‐
national Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning with a total of eight articles. As
noted in the type of scientific production analysis, most scientific production in the field
of e‐learning systems based on cloud computing was disseminated during conferences
and accordingly, published in the conference proceedings.

Table 5. Most productive publishers.

Main Publishers Main Journals
Publishers N.D. % of Total Journal Sources N.A. % of Total
IEEE (IEEE International Conference on Granular International Journal of Emerging Technolo‐
1 244 38.30 1 8 1.26
Computing (GrC)) gies in Learning
2 Springer Nature 108 16.95 2 IEEE Access 7 1.10
Workshop on Learning Technology for Edu‐
3 Elsevier 31 4.87 3 7 1.10
cation in Cloud (LTEC’12)
Carol I Natl Defence Univ Publishing House (In‐
International Journal of Advanced Computer
4 ternational Scientific Conference on eLearning 27 4.24 4 6 0.94
Science and Applications
and Software for Education)
Iated‐Int Assoc Technology Education & Devel‐
5 opment (International Conference on Education 24 3.77 5 Quality and Efficiency in E‐learning, vol 2 6 0.94
and New Learning Technologies)
Assoc. Computing Machinery (International Con‐ 2012 IEEE Conference on Open Systems
6 16 2.51 6 5 0.78
ference) (ICOS 2012)
7 Mdpi 14 2.20 7 Applied Sciences‐Basel 5 0.78
IATED‐INT Assoc Technology Education A& De‐
8 10 1.57 8 Education and Information Technologies 5 0.78
velopment (International Conference)
Future Generation Computer Systems‐The In‐
9 Wiley 10 1.57 9 5 0.78
ternational Journal of Escience
10 Igi Global 7 1.10 10 Image and Video Technology (PSIVT 2017) 5 0.78
N.D. = Number of Documents; N.A. = Number of Articles.
Electronics 2023, 12, 62 15 of 27

4.1.6. Distribution of Scientific Knowledge: Countries/Regions, Research Entities, Fund‐

ing Agencies
The last step of the descriptive statistics analysis, as well as the answer to research
question number 2 (RQ2) is represented by the investigation of how scientific knowledge
is distributed according to country or region of authors’ affiliation and research entities.
Regarding the distribution of scientific knowledge based on countries, 83 countries were
obtained in which the authors of the papers are affiliated, and five of the documents do
not contain data in the analyzed field. The main 10 countries according to the number of
publications and, respectively, according to the number of citations are presented in Table
6. It is found that the most productive country in terms of scientific knowledge and num‐
ber of citations is China, which registers 250 publications on this subject and 1934 citations,
with an average of almost 16 citations per article. The following countries from the inves‐
tigation made regarding the number of publications are India (n = 84), Romania (n = 72),
and Saudi Arabia (n = 65). It is noted that these states are among those that also offer
facilities regarding internet services provided to the population, namely high‐speed and
relatively accessible internet for residents. Thus, the concerns of researchers in the field of
e‐learning systems based on cloud computing are based on the existing situation in the
countries where they are affiliated. Regarding the number of citations, apart from China,
but at a great distance from it, there are the United Kingdom (n = 216), India (n = 202),
Germany (n = 188), and Greece (n = 184).

Table 6. Distribution of scientific knowledge: countries/regions.

Number of Publications Number of Citations

Country N. of Documents % of Total Country TC Average Article Citations
1 China 250 39.25% 1 China 1934 15.85
2 India 84 13.19% 2 United Kingdom 216 9.39
3 Romania 72 11.30% 3 India 202 4.49
4 Saudi Arabia 65 10.20% 4 Germany 188 11.75
5 Spain 49 7.69% 5 Greece 184 20.44
6 Malaysia 38 5.97% 6 Spain 174 6.96
7 USA 34 5.34% 7 Malaysia 133 6.05
8 UK 32 5.02% 8 Saudi Arabia 107 3.82
9 Germany 30 4.71% 9 Italy 90 8.18
10 Japan 30 4.71% 10 Egypt 89 8.09

Regarding the research entities to which the authors of the published works are affil‐
iated, following the analysis performed, were obtained 735 entries, while five records do
not contain data in the field being analyzed. Therefore, it is noted that there is a diversity
of research entities in which scholars analyze this topic and it is also noted that some of
the authors are affiliated with several research centers, public or private institutions for
which they conduct research. The main research entities according to the number of pub‐
lished articles are presented in Figure 6, and the evolution of the number of articles during
the analyzed period is also highlighted. The biggest increases in recent years were rec‐
orded in the case of Central China Normal University from Wuhan, China, and King Kha‐
lid University, from Abha, Saudi Arabia, countries that are also in the ranking of the most
productive countries.
Electronics 2023, 12, 62 16 of 27

Figure 6. Affiliations’ Production over Time (Source: Biblioshiny).

4.2. Performance Analysis

Citation Analysis
The evolution of the number of citations for the publications included in the data set
is highlighted in Figure 7. The total number of citations is 4379, recorded since 2008, and
the average citation number per document is 6.8. There is an upward trend in most of the
years for which there is information, except in 2020, in which there was a slight decrease
in research related to e‐learning systems based on cloud computing, as well as in 2022, a
year that is still open to publications, and the number of articles and citations can be up‐
dated. Most citations were obtained by Sun et al.’s work [82] regarding critical factors
influencing learner satisfaction for successful e‐learning. The results revealed that learner
computer anxiety, instructor attitude toward e‐learning, e‐learning course flexibility, e‐
learning course quality, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and diversity in as‐
sessments are the major factors influencing students’ perceived satisfaction with learning
[82]. This work recorded 1135 citations in WoS alone, which sums approximately 25% of
the total citations recorded for the entire data set.

Figure 7. Citation analysis.

Electronics 2023, 12, 62 17 of 27

4.3. Science Mapping

4.3.1. Conceptual Structure: Co‐Word Analysis
The purpose of the co‐word analysis is to map and cluster terms collected from key‐
words, titles, or abstracts in a bibliographic collection using a word co‐occurrence network
[83]. Therefore, research question number 3 (RQ3) is answered with the help of Figure 8
which illustrates the network visualization map developed using VOSviewer using co‐
occurrence as a type of analysis. The selected method was full counting, all keywords
were selected as the unit of analysis and the minimum number of occurrences of a key‐
word was set at 10. The generated map divided the keywords into four clusters (red,
green, blue, and yellow), generating 28 items and 175 links with a total link strength of
715. Noticeably, the most used words are cloud computing, with 288 occurrences, and e‐
learning with 268 occurrences, followed by education (47 occurrences), security (22 occur‐
rences), and big data (19 occurrences).

Figure 8. Conceptual structure: Co‐word analysis.

Content analysis for the four generated clusters is performed in Table 7. Cluster 1,
illustrated by the red color, incorporates research topics related to “Technology” regard‐
ing e‐learning systems based on cloud computing and includes eight keywords. Cloud
computing is a new technological advancement that is expected to have a significant im‐
pact on the teaching and learning process. Moreover, the need for e‐learning in the private
organizations and corporate sector is increasing, making more chances for higher educa‐
tion available online. Thus, the research aimed at studying “cloud”, “internet”, “manage‐
ment” or “performance” is proof of researchers’ concerns of in the field of technology
development on the aforementioned topic.
Electronics 2023, 12, 62 18 of 27

Table 7. Author keyword clusters.

Cluster Keywords Research Area Occurrences Total Link Strength

Cloud 25 32
Internet 14 22
Management 16 34
Ontology 12 20
1 (red)–8 items Technology
Performance 14 32
Students 14 20
System 18 38
Systems 10 21
Adoption 11 31
Architecture 14 31
Determinants 11 28
Education 47 86
2 (green)–8 items Education
Framework 11 26
Higher education 18 29
Model 17 40
Technology 16 38
Big data 19 26
Collaborative learning 10 15
E‐learning 268 338
3 (blue)–6 items Learning management Delivery Systems
10 19
system
Machine learning 10 12
Mobile learning 11 13
Cloud computing 288 335
M‐learning 10 21
Paas 10 27
4 (yellow)–6 items Cloud Services
Saas 16 43
Security 22 28
Web services 12 25

Cluster 2 is illustrated by the green color and includes ought keywords referring to
“Education”. The main keywords used are “determinants”, “education”, “framework”,
“higher education”, and “technology”. The researchers’ interest in this area derives from
the fact that e‐learning is one of the most advanced educational technologies accessible
today, significantly improving traditional learning systems through the use of electronic
resources, software applications, and a virtual learning environment. Its importance and
higher education are investigated in various research, but it still represents a topic of fu‐
ture development.
Cluster 3, highlighted by the blue color groups six keywords referring to “Delivery
Systems” regarding e‐learning systems based on cloud computing. Delivery systems aid
learning and performance improvement by designing, implementing, and managing ap‐
propriate technological resources and processes. Therefore, the researchers’ enthusiasm
for “Big data”, “learning management system”, “machine learning”, or “mobile learning”
is an indication of the relevance of this research area in the investigated field.
Cluster 4 incorporates six keywords related to the research topics “Cloud services”,
namely “cloud computing”, “M‐learning”, “Paas”, “Saas”, “security”, and “web ser‐
vices”. Academics are interested in investigating these cloud services not only because of
their influence on various economic, political, and socio‐cultural activities but also be‐
cause of their self‐generation process, which is obvious in modern times. Cloud compu‐
ting is the result of combining one or several technical solutions.
Generating a co‐word analysis evolution graph assists researchers to understand
keyword evolution and trend. Such a graph depicts changes in keyword frequency,
Electronics 2023, 12, 62 19 of 27

allowing for the selection of the most appropriate title when performing a literature re‐
view or identifying a new study topic. Figure 9 depicts the evolution of the visualization
map generated on e‐learning systems and cloud computing based on co‐occurrence terms.
It is noted that keywords related to “Educational Paradigm” integrate more recent re‐
search in the field, presenting keywords that are found in publications after 2018. In con‐
trast, keywords related to “Technology” and the architecture of an e‐learning system
based on cloud computing technology were very prominent in 2014–2015, but they were
no longer found in the newly published research.

Figure 9. Network visualization map based on text data—Co‐word analysis.

Moreover, analyzing the thematic evolution of authors’ keywords using the biblio‐
metrix R‐package, a similar trend is found (Figure 10). Thus, at the beginning of the ana‐
lyzed period, namely before 2016, the emphasis was placed on research related to the
technology and architecture of an e‐learning system based on cloud computing technol‐
ogy, being portrayed as one of the newest technological innovations. After 2017, the focus
is placed especially on users, namely the educational paradigm, targeting students, im‐
plementation, and determinants of e‐learning based on cloud computing.
Electronics 2023, 12, 62 20 of 27

Figure 10. Thematic evolution of authors’ keywords.

4.3.2. Factorial Analysis

The multiple correspondence analysis (MCA), available in the bibliometrix R‐pack‐
age, is an exploratory multivariate technique used to analyze multivariate categorical data
graphically and numerically. In order to obtain a low‐dimensional Euclidean representa‐
tion of the original data, MCA homogeneity analyses an indicator matrix. A Document x
Word matrix A is subjected to co‐word analysis using MCA. An outline of the words is
drawn on a two‐dimensional map. Based on the relative placements of the dots and their
distribution along the dimensions, the findings are interpreted; the closer the words are
depicted in the map, the more similar their distribution is [84].
MCA was used for factorial analysis between e‐learning systems and cloud compu‐
ting. Based on MCA from Biblioshiny, the selected Field option was “Keywords plus” and
for method parameters: the number of terms was set to 50 and the number of clusters was
set to four, illustrating the most commonly used author keywords. Figure 11 illustrates
that keywords related to “technology”, grouped in the green cluster, and “educational
paradigm”, grouped in the red cluster, were frequently used in similar topics. In contrast,
keywords related to “user perception”, grouped in the purple cluster are used less fre‐
quently, which indicates a future research direction for this field.

Figure 11. Conceptual Structure Map: MCA.

Electronics 2023, 12, 62 21 of 27

4.3.3. Intellectual Structure: Co‐Citation Analysis

Bibliographic coupling, which happens when two papers cite the same work, can
show the relative merits of a certain publication to a collection of related works. This ap‐
proach can be used with documents, journals, authors, institutions, and countries. Ana‐
lyzing the bibliographic coupling of contributors allows scholars to see which works and
authors are connected by repeated citations. For the current research, we carried out a co‐
citation analysis using the VOSviewer software, aimed to highlight the most‐cited papers
and to depict the bibliographic coupling between them in order to evaluate the influence
of publications over time. Figure 12 presents the network visualization map developed
based on the full counting method and cited references as the unit of analysis in
VOSviewer. The minimum number of occurrences of a cited reference was set to 10 and
27 results were generated. These formed 212 links, with a total link strength of 21. The
most cited references by other authors who published in the same field of e‐learning sys‐
tems based on cloud computing are [83,84].

Figure 12. Network visualization map based on text data—Co‐citation analysis.

4.3.4. Social Structure: Co‐Author Analysis

Figure 13 displays the collaboration map based on co‐authorship analysis, aiming to
investigate the prominent authors who published their research on e‐learning systems
and cloud computing. Full counting was selected as the counting method, the unit of anal‐
ysis was authors and the minimum number of documents of an author was set at four.
The search criteria generated 18 results (authors)but there were only 4 connections found
between them. For this reason, the generated map was left without the links between au‐
thors. The main conclusions are that there is no close collaboration between groups of
authors on the investigated topic, the formed teams did not publish more than one paper,
and the authors who researched this field have a limited number of papers, mainly due to
the rather limited period in which you can find publications with the two concepts com‐
bined. Moreover, Figure 13 highlights the main authors according to the period in which
Electronics 2023, 12, 62 22 of 27

they were most prolific. Thus, in the years 2013–2014, authors from Serbia were more pro‐
lific, and from 2017, authors from Saudi Arabia and China stand out.

Figure 13. Network visualization map based on text data—Co‐authorship.

4.4. Future Research Directions

The generated results may be scalable by incorporating more datasets and visualiza‐
tion tools. Other useful visualization tools could be used, such as Gephi, Pajek, or Bibexcel.
As a result, valuable results may be generated in order to provide particular responses to
research questions. In the near future, a deeper evaluation could be carried out by involv‐
ing other databases to obtain more data insights on the search themes. The addition of
new materials and sources can increase the scope of study and the subject’s scalability.
The outcomes of the research can be applied to a variety of fields. The research findings
include a wide range of industries, including public, commercial, government, semi‐gov‐
ernment, and private firms. This study could assist academics by offering research frame‐
works and practical and theoretical foundations that improve research productivity in e‐
learning systems based on cloud computing. The findings of this study, including the re‐
search framework, may be of interest to various fields interested in implementing a de‐
velopment that leads to the formation of valuable analysis.

5. Discussion and Limitation

In recent years, the development of modern disruptive technologies (e.g., the Inter‐
net, social media, and smartphones) have boosted the changes in education processes and
methods for acquiring knowledge. Similarly, there can be observed ongoing transitions
and innovations in practices related to business management, communication, and work
organization due to technological evolutions.
Digital tools are used in e‐learning for both teaching and learning. E‐learning makes
use of modern tools to let students study wherever they are and whenever they choose.
Moreover, e‐learning involves instruction, knowledge transfer, and feedback. It encour‐
ages students to engage in conversation, share ideas, and respect opposing viewpoints, as
Electronics 2023, 12, 62 23 of 27

well as facilitates communication and strengthens the bonds that support learning. E‐
learning can also improve the standard of instruction. Online workshops, simulations,
and visualizations are being used in an increasing number of programs to give students
practice and aid in their comprehension of difficult concepts. In other instances, technol‐
ogy is applied in traditional lecture classes to improve interaction with a traditionally pas‐
sive audience.
As a result, the efficiency of learning is directly correlated with user interaction. There
is little doubt that cloud computing can improve how e‐learning is being performed and
can be considered an important alternative from the educational perspective. In effect, the
key benefits of cloud computing include meeting demands for rapid storage growth, cost
control and flexibility, quick implementation, and improved management.
Furthermore, higher education is currently transitioning from conventional methods
to smart learning. To this end, the current work uses science mapping and bibliometrics
to analyze 637 publications on e‐learning and cloud computing to identify the key topics
and their dynamics. The current dispersion of the yearly number of publications on e‐
learning indicates a sharply rising interest in this research area. In short, these results il‐
lustrate a positive research development trend.
The findings and conclusions are restricted and are not meant to be exhaustive. With
this in mind, it must be acknowledged that SCI/SSCI journals follow strict journal review
criteria. Specifically, new research articles may take up to two years to be published after
they are submitted.
Additionally, the SCI/SSCI database does not include educational conference pro‐
ceedings Therefore, it is possible that the results of this study may not represent the most
recent research trends. All things considered, effectively improving the current working
system is critical because educational institutions are expanding daily, creating a gap be‐
tween educational organizations and industrial requirements. In conclusion, technologi‐
cal advances such as cloud computing can fill the gap by providing users with either free
or paid training without incurring any additional costs.

6. Conclusions
The science mapping methodology is a laborious and continuous project that is dif‐
ficult to control and organize from the research knowledge since research might change
over time in its primary theme area and shift to other research fronts without impacting
its initial category. At the same time, as the corpus of papers and studies expand, this
research can also be updated using the same approach, creating new overlays and finally
improving the topic.
The primary objective of this paper was to investigate the knowledge domain in e‐
learning systems based on cloud computing using bibliometric analysis. Thus, the goal of
this research, which was to provide an essential overview of scientific knowledge and to
emphasize trends and patterns in cloud computing‐based e‐learning systems, identifying
the most significant underlying concepts and knowledge gaps, respectively, has been
achieved. The findings highlighted the structure, evolution, main trends, and impact of
the research field of e‐learning systems based on cloud computing by intensively deter‐
mining and evaluating the scientific output, key contributions to the subject, and potential
future research directions.
Given these considerations, the current study’s implications highlight the signifi‐
cance of cloud‐based e‐learning technologies, as well as the direct relationship between
these two elements.
In the end, this research helps to fully understand the connection between the field
of e‐learning and cloud computing. The current paper contributes to the research commu‐
nity by helping academics, researchers, decision‐makers, and practitioners improve the
past, present, and future knowledge framework of e‐learning and cloud computing tech‐
nologies.
Electronics 2023, 12, 62 24 of 27

Author Contributions: Conceptualization, A.D.; methodology, A.D. and D.Ø.M.; software, A.D.;
validation, A.‐M.B., R.B. and D.Ø.M.; formal analysis, A.‐M.B.; funding acquisition, D.Ø.M.; inves‐
tigation, R.B.; resources, R.B. and A.‐M.B.; writing—original draft preparation, A.D., A.‐M.B., R.B.
and D.Ø.M.; writing—review and editing, A.D., A.‐M.B., R.B. and D.Ø.M.; visualization, A.D., R.B.
and A.‐M.B.; supervision, A.D., A.‐M.B., R.B. and D.Ø.M. All authors have read and agreed to the
published version of the manuscript.
Funding: This research received no external funding.
Institutional Review Board Statement: Not applicable.
Informed Consent Statement: Not applicable.
Data Availability Statement: Not applicable.
Conflicts of Interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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