Keyword Network Analysis of Research Articles in the Asia-Pacific Journal of Research in Early Childhood Education: Research Trends From 2007 to 2021

This study aimed to explore changes in research articles published in the Asia-Pacific Journal of Research in Early Childhood Education (APJRECE) over time. To that end, keyword network analysis was conducted on a total of 244 research articles published in the journal during the 15-year period (both overall and in 5-year increments) from 2007 to 2021. The following results were obtained: first, discussions on common, important topics in early childhood education were held continuously and changes in keyword trends were observable within each of the different 5-year periods. Second, although APJRECE articles initially focused on qualitative studies, a balance of quantitative and qualitative research with some mixed-method papers and literature reviews was eventually attained. Third, an analysis of APJRECE articles by region revealed that the journal included studies from diverse locations, including East Asia, Southeast Asia, Oceania, North America, Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. These results confirm that APJRECE functions well as an international journal and that it provides a platform for academic exchange. Additionally, the results indicate that it has addressed and considered a wide range of topics and issues in early childhood education over time.