With the rise of online education, universities are seeking to optimize the experience of distance learners. To do so, it is crucial to develop key competencies in future professionals, such as transferable skills, emotional regulation, professional development, self-management, and self-efficacy. Understanding the impact of the online environment on engagement is critical for the successful implementation of online programs.
This article presents a systematic literature review and bibliometric analysis of 781 articles, exploring trends in publications, high-impact journals, countries, institutions, and keyword analysis with VOSviewer. The current state of the art and the latest educational trends to boost online learning are analyzed. Finally, a model is proposed that integrates the main concepts of the VOSviewer co-occurrence map in the context of online learning in higher education for graduate students.
This framework offers a concrete representation for integrating online learning tools and technologies in higher education. Furthermore, this framework will be instrumental in understanding the skills needed in online education, especially critical reflection and professional competencies.
It combines innovative theoretical concepts and offers a promising vision for the future of education. While e-learning has great potential, its limitations need to be addressed and efforts made to ensure that all students have equal opportunities for development in this ever-changing educational environment.
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How to cite: Garcés, G., & Bastías, E. (2025). Competencies model for online learning in higher education: a bibliometric analysis and systematic review [Modelo de competencias para el aprendizaje online en educación superior: un análisis bibliométrico y revisión sistemática]. RIED-Revista Iberoamericana de Educación a Distancia, 28(1). https://doi.org/10.5944/ried.28.1.41351
