Emerging Trends in Fostering Critical Thinking in Primary Science: A Bibliometric Review of QR Code and Mobile Technology Integration

Ibrahim Ibrahim; Nurwahidah Nurwahidah; Ni Made Yeni Suranti; Nurkhaerat Alimuddin; Syahrani Yulianci

doi:10.2991/978-2-38476-579-9_19

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Emerging Trends in Fostering Critical Thinking in Primary Science: A Bibliometric Review of QR Code and Mobile Technology Integration

Authors

Ibrahim Ibrahim¹^{, *}, Nurwahidah Nurwahidah¹, Ni Made Yeni Suranti¹, Nurkhaerat Alimuddin¹, Syahrani Yulianci²

¹Elementary School Teacher Education, University of Mataram, Mataram, Indonesia

²Elementary School Teacher Education, STKIP Taman Siswa Bima, Bima, Mataram, Indonesia

^*Corresponding author. Email: ibrahim14@unram.ac.id

Corresponding Author

Ibrahim Ibrahim

Available Online 21 May 2026.

DOI: 10.2991/978-2-38476-579-9_19 How to use a DOI?
Keywords: Critical Thinking; QR Code; Mobile Technology; A Bibliometric Review
Abstract: The integration of digital technology in primary science education is pivotal for developing 21st-century skills. However, a comprehensive mapping of how QR codes and mobile learning specifically impact critical thinking remains limited. This study analyzes 204 documents from The Lens (2015–2025) using bibliometric performance and VOSviewer mapping. Findings reveal a significant surge since 2019, reflecting a shift from technocentrism to pedagogical innovation, with Augmented Reality (AR) and Gamification identified as dominant emerging trends. Yet, density visualization highlights a critical gap: despite saturated tool-focused studies, empirical research explicitly measuring critical thinking enhancements remains scarce. Consequently, this review advocates shifting from usability studies towards Design-Based Research (DBR) to test cognitive impacts. These findings provide strategic insights for educators to optimize QR codes as effective cognitive scaffolds rather than mere content delivery mechanisms.
Copyright: © 2026 The Author(s)
Open Access: Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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Volume Title: Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Education and Social Sciences (ICESS 2025)
Series: Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research
Publication Date: 21 May 2026
ISBN: 978-2-38476-579-9
ISSN: 2352-5398
DOI: 10.2991/978-2-38476-579-9_19 How to use a DOI?
Open Access: Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

Cite this article

ris enw bib

TY  - CONF
AU  - Ibrahim Ibrahim
AU  - Nurwahidah Nurwahidah
AU  - Ni Made Yeni Suranti
AU  - Nurkhaerat Alimuddin
AU  - Syahrani Yulianci
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/05/21
TI  - Emerging Trends in Fostering Critical Thinking in Primary Science: A Bibliometric Review of QR Code and Mobile Technology Integration
BT  - Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Education and Social Sciences (ICESS 2025)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 236
EP  - 256
SN  - 2352-5398
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-2-38476-579-9_19
DO  - 10.2991/978-2-38476-579-9_19
ID  - Ibrahim2026
ER  -

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