IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v10y2018i11p4040-d180474.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Higher Education Sustainability through Virtual Laboratories: The Spanish University as Case of Study

Author

Listed:
  • Esther Salmerón-Manzano

    (Faculty of Legal, Social and Human Sciences, Universidad Internacional de La Rioja (UNIR), Av. de la Paz, 137, 26006 Logroño, Spain)

  • Francisco Manzano-Agugliaro

    (Department of Engineering, ceiA3, University of Almeria, 04120 Almeria, Spain)

Abstract

Education has been integrated into the globalization process supported by technological advances such as e-learning. The sustainability of the universities is one of the key points of the university survival, and they strongly depend on the number of students that can enroll in them. Thus, many of the educational institutions have had to develop their curricula based on the use new technologies. Without a doubt, virtual laboratories are the latest technology in this regard. The objective of this work is to determine which are the main institutions and research trends in relation to virtual laboratories. The methodology followed in this research was to perform a bibliometric analysis of the whole scientific production indexed in Scopus. The world’s scientific production has been analysed in the following domains: first the trend over time, types of publications and countries, second the main subjects and keywords, third main institutions and their main topics, and fourth the main journals and proceedings that publish on this topic. After that, a case study was analysed in detailed as a representative country (Spain). The most productive institution in this field, Universidad de Educación a Distancia (UNED). If the ranking is established by average citations per published paper, the first three institutions are from the USA: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), University of Washington (Seattle), and Carnegie Mellon University. The scientific categories at world level and in the case of study are similar. First, there is the field of engineering followed by computer science and above all it highlights the wide spectrum of branches of knowledge in which this topic is published, which indicates the great acceptance of this teaching methodology in all fields of education. Finally, community detection has been applied to the case study and six clusters have been found: Virtual Reality, Users, E-learning, Programming, Automatic-robotics, Computer Simulation and Engineering Education. As a main conclusion, bibliographic analysis confirms that research in virtual laboratories is a very active field, where scientific productivity has exponentially increased over recent years in tandem with universities growth. Therefore, expectations are high in this field for the near future. The possibility of virtual laboratories opens up new perspectives for higher education sustainability, where the educational policies of countries could be reoriented.

Suggested Citation

  • Esther Salmerón-Manzano & Francisco Manzano-Agugliaro, 2018. "The Higher Education Sustainability through Virtual Laboratories: The Spanish University as Case of Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-22, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:11:p:4040-:d:180474
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/10/11/4040/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/10/11/4040/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Judit Bar-Ilan, 2010. "Citations to the “Introduction to informetrics” indexed by WOS, Scopus and Google Scholar," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 82(3), pages 495-506, March.
    2. Carmen De la Cruz-Lovera & Alberto-Jesús Perea-Moreno & José-Luis De la Cruz-Fernández & José Antonio Alvarez-Bermejo & Francisco Manzano-Agugliaro, 2017. "Worldwide Research on Energy Efficiency and Sustainability in Public Buildings," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(8), pages 1-20, July.
    3. Hoegl, Martin & Proserpio, Luigi, 2004. "Team member proximity and teamwork in innovative projects," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 33(8), pages 1153-1165, October.
    4. Habib M. Alshuwaikhat & Yusuf A. Adenle & Bilal Saghir, 2016. "Sustainability Assessment of Higher Education Institutions in Saudi Arabia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(8), pages 1-16, August.
    5. Luis Cabedo & Marta Royo & Lidón Moliner & Teresa Guraya, 2018. "University Social Responsibility towards Engineering Undergraduates: The Effect of Methodology on a Service-Learning Experience," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(6), pages 1-17, June.
    6. Philippe Mongeon & Adèle Paul-Hus, 2016. "The journal coverage of Web of Science and Scopus: a comparative analysis," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 106(1), pages 213-228, January.
    7. Éric Archambault & David Campbell & Yves Gingras & Vincent Larivière, 2009. "Comparing bibliometric statistics obtained from the Web of Science and Scopus," Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 60(7), pages 1320-1326, July.
    8. Joaquín Paredes-Labra & Ivana-Mariel Siri & Alessandro Oliveira, 2018. "Preparing Public Pedagogies with ICT: The Case of Pesticides and Popular Education in Brazil," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(10), pages 1-12, September.
    9. Esther Salmeron-Manzano & Francisco Manzano-Agugliaro, 2018. "The Electric Bicycle: Worldwide Research Trends," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(7), pages 1-16, July.
    10. Esther Salmerón-Manzano & Francisco Manzano-Agugliaro, 2017. "Worldwide Scientific Production Indexed by Scopus on Labour Relations," Publications, MDPI, vol. 5(4), pages 1-14, October.
    11. Dalia El Khaled & Nuria Novas & Jose-Antonio Gazquez & Francisco Manzano-Agugliaro, 2018. "Dielectric and Bioimpedance Research Studies: A Scientometric Approach Using the Scopus Database," Publications, MDPI, vol. 6(1), pages 1-16, January.
    12. Estela Gimenez & Maria Salinas & Francisco Manzano-Agugliaro, 2018. "Worldwide Research on Plant Defense against Biotic Stresses as Improvement for Sustainable Agriculture," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-19, February.
    13. Francisco G. Montoya & Raul Baños & Alfredo Alcayde & Maria G. Montoya & Francisco Manzano-Agugliaro, 2018. "Power Quality: Scientific Collaboration Networks and Research Trends," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(8), pages 1-16, August.
    14. Mirian Jiménez-Torres & Catalina Rus-Casas & Lenin Guillermo Lemus-Zúiga & Leocadio Hontoria, 2017. "The Importance of Accurate Solar Data for Designing Solar Photovoltaic Systems—Case Studies in Spain," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(2), pages 1-14, February.
    15. van Eck, N.J.P. & Waltman, L., 2009. "VOSviewer: A Computer Program for Bibliometric Mapping," ERIM Report Series Research in Management ERS-2009-005-LIS, Erasmus Research Institute of Management (ERIM), ERIM is the joint research institute of the Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University and the Erasmus School of Economics (ESE) at Erasmus University Rotterdam.
    16. Hernández-Escobedo, Quetzalcoatl & Perea-Moreno, Alberto-Jesús & Manzano-Agugliaro, Francisco, 2018. "Wind energy research in Mexico," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 123(C), pages 719-729.
    17. Katja Zajko & Barbara Bradač Hojnik, 2018. "Social Franchising Model as a Scaling Strategy for ICT Reuse: A Case Study of an International Franchise," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(9), pages 1-28, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. William Villegas-Ch. & Milton Roman-Cañizares & Santiago Sánchez-Viteri & Joselin García-Ortiz & Walter Gaibor-Naranjo, 2021. "Analysis of the State of Learning in University Students with the Use of a Hadoop Framework," Future Internet, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-25, May.
    2. Ferran Calabuig-Moreno & María Huertas González-Serrano & Javier Fombona & Marta García-Tascón, 2020. "The Emergence of Technology in Physical Education: A General Bibliometric Analysis with a Focus on Virtual and Augmented Reality," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-23, March.
    3. Renzo Seminario-Córdova & Raúl Rojas-Ortega, 2023. "Renewable Energy Sources and Energy Production: A Bibliometric Analysis of the Last Five Years," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-22, July.
    4. Mila Cascajares & Alfredo Alcayde & José Antonio Garrido-Cardenas & Francisco Manzano-Agugliaro, 2020. "The Contribution of Spanish Science to Patents: Medicine as Case of Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(10), pages 1-24, May.
    5. Antonio-José Moreno-Guerrero & Gerardo Gómez-García & Jesús López-Belmonte & Carmen Rodríguez-Jiménez, 2020. "Internet Addiction in the Web of Science Database: A Review of the Literature with Scientific Mapping," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(8), pages 1-16, April.
    6. José Antonio Garrido-Cardenas & Francisco Manzano-Agugliaro & Lilia González-Cerón & Francisco Gil-Montoya & Alfredo Alcayde-Garcia & Nuria Novas & Concepción Mesa-Valle, 2018. "The Identification of Scientific Communities and Their Approach to Worldwide Malaria Research," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-14, November.
    7. Esther Salmerón-Manzano & Francisco Manzano-Agugliaro, 2019. "The Role of Smart Contracts in Sustainability: Worldwide Research Trends," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-16, May.
    8. Khadija El Kharki & Khalid Berrada & Daniel Burgos, 2021. "Design and Implementation of a Virtual Laboratory for Physics Subjects in Moroccan Universities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(7), pages 1-28, March.
    9. Walter Leal Filho & Elizabeth Price & Tony Wall & Chris Shiel & Ulisses M. Azeiteiro & Mark Mifsud & Luciana Brandli & Carla Sofia Farinha & Sandra Caeiro & Amanda Lange Salvia & Claudio Ruy Vasconcel, 2021. "COVID-19: the impact of a global crisis on sustainable development teaching," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 23(8), pages 11257-11278, August.
    10. Ardit Sertolli & Zoltán Gabnai & Péter Lengyel & Attila Bai, 2022. "Biomass Potential and Utilization in Worldwide Research Trends—A Bibliometric Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-20, May.
    11. Quetzalcoatl Hernandez-Escobedo & David Muñoz-Rodríguez & Alejandro Vargas-Casillas & José Manuel Juárez Lopez & Pilar Aparicio-Martínez & María Pilar Martínez-Jiménez & Alberto-Jesus Perea-Moreno, 2022. "Renewable Energies in the Agricultural Sector: A Perspective Analysis of the Last Three Years," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(1), pages 1-17, December.
    12. Miguel-Angel Perea-Moreno & Esther Samerón-Manzano & Alberto-Jesus Perea-Moreno, 2019. "Biomass as Renewable Energy: Worldwide Research Trends," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-19, February.
    13. Oriol Pons-Valladares & S. M. Amin Hosseini & Jordi Franquesa, 2022. "Innovative Approach to Assist Architecture Teachers in Choosing Practical Sessions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-27, June.
    14. Naim Ahmad & Noorulhasan Naveed Quadri & Mohamed Rafik N. Qureshi & Mohammad Mahtab Alam, 2018. "Relationship Modeling of Critical Success Factors for Enhancing Sustainability and Performance in E-Learning," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-16, December.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. José Antonio Garrido-Cardenas & Francisco Manzano-Agugliaro & Lilia González-Cerón & Francisco Gil-Montoya & Alfredo Alcayde-Garcia & Nuria Novas & Concepción Mesa-Valle, 2018. "The Identification of Scientific Communities and Their Approach to Worldwide Malaria Research," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-14, November.
    2. Miguel-Angel Perea-Moreno & Quetzalcoatl Hernandez-Escobedo & Alberto-Jesus Perea-Moreno, 2018. "Renewable Energy in Urban Areas: Worldwide Research Trends," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-19, March.
    3. Esther Salmeron-Manzano & Francisco Manzano-Agugliaro, 2018. "The Electric Bicycle: Worldwide Research Trends," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(7), pages 1-16, July.
    4. Dalia El Khaled & Nuria Novas & Jose-Antonio Gazquez & Francisco Manzano-Agugliaro, 2018. "Dielectric and Bioimpedance Research Studies: A Scientometric Approach Using the Scopus Database," Publications, MDPI, vol. 6(1), pages 1-16, January.
    5. Esther Salmerón-Manzano & Francisco Manzano-Agugliaro, 2017. "Worldwide Scientific Production Indexed by Scopus on Labour Relations," Publications, MDPI, vol. 5(4), pages 1-14, October.
    6. Carmen de la Cruz-Lovera & Alberto-Jesus Perea-Moreno & José Luis de la Cruz-Fernández & Francisco G. Montoya & Alfredo Alcayde & Francisco Manzano-Agugliaro, 2019. "Analysis of Research Topics and Scientific Collaborations in Energy Saving Using Bibliometric Techniques and Community Detection," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-23, May.
    7. Esther Salmerón-Manzano & Francisco Manzano-Agugliaro, 2019. "The Role of Smart Contracts in Sustainability: Worldwide Research Trends," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-16, May.
    8. Mingchun Cao & Ilan Alon, 2020. "Intellectual Structure of the Belt and Road Initiative Research: A Scientometric Analysis and Suggestions for a Future Research Agenda," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(17), pages 1-40, August.
    9. Luisa F. Cabeza & Marta Chàfer & Érika Mata, 2020. "Comparative Analysis of Web of Science and Scopus on the Energy Efficiency and Climate Impact of Buildings," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-24, January.
    10. Estela Gimenez & Maria Salinas & Francisco Manzano-Agugliaro, 2018. "Worldwide Research on Plant Defense against Biotic Stresses as Improvement for Sustainable Agriculture," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-19, February.
    11. Khadija El Kharki & Khalid Berrada & Daniel Burgos, 2021. "Design and Implementation of a Virtual Laboratory for Physics Subjects in Moroccan Universities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(7), pages 1-28, March.
    12. Esther Salmerón-Manzano & Jose Antonio Garrido-Cardenas & Francisco Manzano-Agugliaro, 2020. "Worldwide Research Trends on Medicinal Plants," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(10), pages 1-20, May.
    13. de Oliveira, Renan Peres & Lohmann, Gui & Oliveira, Alessandro V.M., 2022. "A systematic review of the literature on air transport networks (1973-2021)," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 103(C).
    14. Martín-Martín, Alberto & Orduna-Malea, Enrique & Thelwall, Mike & Delgado López-Cózar, Emilio, 2018. "Google Scholar, Web of Science, and Scopus: A systematic comparison of citations in 252 subject categories," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 12(4), pages 1160-1177.
    15. Pattarin Sanguankaew & Vichita Vathanophas Ractham, 2019. "Bibliometric Review of Research on Knowledge Management and Sustainability, 1994–2018," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(16), pages 1-20, August.
    16. Esther Salmerón-Manzano & Francisco Manzano-Agugliaro, 2018. "Unaccompanied Minors: Worldwide Research Perspectives," Publications, MDPI, vol. 7(1), pages 1-15, December.
    17. P. K. Priyan & Wakara Ibrahimu Nyabakora & Geofrey Rwezimula, 2023. "A bibliometric review of the knowledge base on financial inclusion," SN Business & Economics, Springer, vol. 3(2), pages 1-21, February.
    18. Wakara Ibrahimu Nyabakora, 2023. "Earnings management in public companies: a bibliometric review," SN Business & Economics, Springer, vol. 3(9), pages 1-23, September.
    19. Carlos Sánchez‐Camacho & Rocío Carranza & David Martín‐Consuegra & Estrella Díaz, 2022. "Evolution, trends and future research lines in corporate social responsibility and tourism: A bibliometric analysis and science mapping," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 30(3), pages 462-476, June.
    20. Verónica V. Márquez-Hernández & Lorena Gutiérrez-Puertas & José M. Garrido-Molina & Alba García-Viola & Alfredo Alcayde-García & Gabriel Aguilera-Manrique, 2021. "Worldviews on Evidence-Based Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Using a Novel Method," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(18), pages 1-13, September.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:11:p:4040-:d:180474. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.