Skip to main content
Special Issue: Enhancing the Student Experience | Acta Pedagogia Asiana | Volume 5 - Issue SI - 2026 | 74-83 | https://doi.org/10.53623/apga.v5iSI.1070
© 2026 by the author(s), and is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) License Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) License

Application of Mixed Reality Technology in Vocational Education: A Bibliometric Analysis

Author(s): Wang Li 1 , Tianyu Zhang 1 , Na Li 1 , Stuart Thomason 2 , Xiaojun Zhang 1
Author(s) information:
1 Academy of Future Education, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou, China
2 Department of Computer Science, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom

Corresponding author

Acta Pedagogia Asiana

Acta Pedagogia Asiana

Volume 5 - Issue SI - 2026

 About the journal
Submit your article

Mixed reality (MR) technology, which integrates virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR), has emerged as a transformative tool in vocational education by enabling immersive and interactive learning environments. This study aims to analyze the application status, research hotspots, and future development trends of MR technology in vocational education through a bibliometric approach. Data were collected from Scopus and Web of Science databases, resulting in 47 relevant publications after screening. Bibliometric analysis was conducted using Biblioshiny to evaluate publication trends, keyword co-occurrence, influential authors, and collaboration networks. The results indicate a significant increase in research activity following the release of major MR devices such as HoloLens and Vision Pro. Keyword analysis reveals that “mixed reality,” “augmented reality,” and “professional training” are dominant themes, highlighting the strong focus on immersive learning and skill development. MR applications are widely implemented in engineering, medical training, and professional education, providing safe and efficient simulation-based learning environments. Future research directions emphasize the integration of MR with artificial intelligence, personalized learning systems, and cross-platform applications, as well as improvements in usability and accessibility. This study provides valuable insights for researchers, educators, and policymakers to support the effective and sustainable implementation of MR technology in vocational education.

Read Full-Text
Previous article
Next article

Adams, J.; Flavell, F.; Raureti, R. (2022). Mixed reality results in vocational education: a case study with HoloLens 2. Research in Learning Technology, 30, 1–12. https://doi.org/10.25304/RLT.V30.2803.

Shankar, S.; Shetti, S.; G, A.N.; Professor, S.A. (2022). A review on augmented reality, virtual reality, application of mixed reality in education. (accessed on 24 February 2026) Available online: https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:250616136.

Tseng, C.-Y.; Shu, Y.; Huang, T.-C.; Hsu, W.-C.; Chien, P.-L. (2021). Integration of mixed reality in teaching and learning effectiveness: A systematic literature review of the analyses. In Innovative Technologies and Learning, Huang, Y.-M.; Lai, C.-F.; Rocha, T., Eds.; Springer International Publishing: Cham, Switzerland; pp. 85–94.

Man, J.; Guo, F.; Ma, C. (2020). Innovative analysis of higher vocational education model based on virtual reality technology. Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 1533, 022097. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/1533/2/022097.

Application of VR technology in vocational colleges practice teaching. (accessed on 24 February 2026) Available online: https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:249637116.

Asria, S.; Riska, M.; Patta, A. (2023). Stepping into the future of vocational education: Exploring the role of virtual reality technology. (accessed on 24 February 2025) Available online: https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:260236974.

Muskhir, M.; Luthfi, A.; Watrianthos, R.; Usmeldi; Fortuna, A.; Samala, A.D. (2024). Emerging research on virtual reality applications in vocational education: A bibliometric analysis. Journal of Information Technology Education: Innovations in Practice, 23, 1–26. https://doi.org/10.28945/5284.

He, X. (2022). The innovative development of Chinese vocational education from the perspective of the Metaverse. Journal of Education and Educational Research, 1, 8–12. https://doi.org/10.54097/jeer.v1i2.3046.

Darmawan, S.; Komaro, M. (2023). Application of augmented reality (AR) in vocational education: A systematic literature review. VANOS Journal of Mechanical Engineering Education., 12, 205–213. https://doi.org/10.21831/jpv.v13i2.54280.

Liu, J. (2022). Characteristics of mixed reality technology and its application in engineering fields. Highlights in Science, Engineering and Technology. 28, 213–219. https://doi.org/10.54097/hset.v28i.4109.

Lai, N.Y.G.; Wong, K.H.; Yu, L.J.; Kang, H.S. (2020). Virtual reality (VR) in engineering education and training: A bibliometric analysis. Proceedings of the 2nd World Symposium on Software Engineering. https://doi.org/10.1145/3425329.3425360.

Lee, L.-K. et al. (2024). A systematic review of the design of serious games for innovative learning: Augmented reality, virtual reality, or mixed reality? Electronics, 13(5), 890. https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics13050890.

Kiriakos, D.; Kotsifakos, D.; Psaromiligkos, Y. (2023). A leveraging Matterport for industry-focused mobile applications: Augmented reality training for vocational education and training. In South-East Europe Design, Automation, Computer Engineering, Computer Networks and Social Media Conference, SEEDA-CECNSM; Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.: New York, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.1109/SEEDA-CECNSM61561.2023.10470495.

Sautter, B.; Daling, L.M. (2021). Mixed reality supported learning for industrial on-the-job training. SSRN Electronic Journal. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3864189.

Catenazzi, N., Sommaruga, L., Locatelli, C. (2023). Usability Evaluation of Mixed Reality Applications in VET Training. In Extended Reality, De Paolis, L.T., Arpaia, P., Sacco, M., Eds.; XR Salento 2023. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 14218. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-43401-3_27.

A mobile augmented reality environment for collaborative learning and training. (accessed on 24 February 2025) Available online: https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:14393242.

Read Full-Text
About this article

SUBMITTED: 24 February 2026
ACCEPTED: 30 March 2026
PUBLISHED: 9 April 2026
SUBMITTED to ACCEPTED: 35 days
DOI: https://doi.org/10.53623/apga.v5iSI.1070

Cite this article
Li, W. ., Zhang, T. ., Li, N. ., Thomason, S. ., & Zhang, X. . (2026). Application of Mixed Reality Technology in Vocational Education: A Bibliometric Analysis. Acta Pedagogia Asiana, 5(SI), 74–83. https://doi.org/10.53623/apga.v5iSI.1070
Citations
0
Share this article