Scientometric, Thematic, and Methodological Analysis of IJCER Construction Education Focused Publications – 2004 - 2023.

Research projects must be carefully designed, executed, and disseminated to ensure validity, reliability, and generalizability. The International Journal of Construction Education and Research (IJCER) is the leader in publishing education-focused scholarship. This mixed methods case study research examined construction education-focused articles published in the IJCER between 2004 and 2023, aiming to showcase the works of the most prolific construction education research publisher and identify actionable areas of potential future research. The scientometric analysis showed largely U.S.-based authorship, with increased international authorship over time and clusters of prominent universities and academics. The thematic analysis showed a primarily qualitative methodological focus, with data provided mainly by students and industry practitioners via surveys. Topics such as BIM education have been potentially researched to the point of saturation. Future research opportunities are proposed, including expanding methodological usage and addressing less-researched topics such as artificial intelligence, underrepresented students, student attraction to construction majors, and program ranking. The findings call attention to the sustained evolution of education research and the growing recognition of IJCER. Additionally, the article details step-by-step guidance on conducting mixed-methods case study research and substantiates the need for construction education-specific research guidelines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]