Mapping Global Trends in the Evaluation of Elementary School Teacher Training Programs: A Bibliometric Analysis

Evaluating elementary school teacher training programs is essential for improving global education quality amid evolving 21st-century learning paradigms, technological integration, and increasing professionalization demands. This study employs a bibliometric approach to map global research trends, intellectual structures, and future directions in evaluating elementary teacher training programs. Using the Scopus database, 545 publication records retrieved on October 16, 2025, were analyzed through VOSviewer and Biblioshiny (R) to identify publication trends, citation patterns, authors, institutions, journals, and thematic clusters. Results indicate a sharp rise in publications since 2015, dominated by education and sustainability journals, with Spain as the most productive country. Six major research clusters were identified, highlighting teacher professionalization, curriculum innovation, and governance. Future themes include AI-based evaluations, sustainability literacy, and adaptive frameworks for hybrid and inclusive learning, offering empirical insights for evidence-based policy and teacher training strategies.