Pedagogical Mediation in Distance Higher Education: Implementation and Its Articulation with Digital Technologies. A Bibliometric Analysis

This study addresses the need to understand how research on pedagogical mediation and digital technologies in distance higher education is structured to inform faculty development and instructional design. It aimed to describe output volume, geographic distribution, collaboration patterns, and thematic axes. A bibliometric analysis of 205 Web of Science-indexed articles (2002-2024) was conducted using Bibliometrix. Findings indicate steady growth, leadership by Brazil and Spain, low international collaboration, and three dominant themes: mediation/mentoring, teachers’ digital competences, and distance/online higher education; moreover, citation impact does not always mirror publication volume. The study concludes that effective mediation relies less on tools and more on teachers’ expertise, institutional conditions, and technological equity; it recommends operationalizing pedagogical presence, strengthening interregional networks, and combining bibliometric indicators with qualitative evidence to guide sustainable improvements in practice.

Keywords:
educational articulation; educational technology; distance education; higher education; bibliometrics