Fairness, Accountability, Transparency and Ethics (FATE) in recommender systems in education:
a co-word analysis
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.26512/rici.v19.n2.2026.60555Keywords:
Recommender system, Ethics, Co-word analysis, Educational technology, BibliometricsAbstract
The main objective of this article is to examine the scientific production related to the concepts of fairness, accountability, transparency, and ethics (FATE) in articles on recommender systems in education, using bibliometric indicators and keyword co-occurrence analysis. The research identifies an exponential increase in academic production since 2020, highlighting keywords such as Fairness and Explainable AI, which have become pillars in ethical discussions in the field. The analysis was based on 160 records from the Scopus and Web of Science databases, using RStudio and Bibliometrix for data mapping. In addition to growth trends, the results emphasize the interdisciplinarity of the field and the emergence of topics such as Responsible AI and Algorithmic Fairness, still in early stages of development. The co-occurrence network and thematic diagram revealed important connections between FATE principles and their practical applications, pointing to theoretical gaps and opportunities for future research. Despite limitations related to the search scope, the study offers a comprehensive view of the ethical implications of educational recommender systems, highlighting the need for fairer, more transparent, and accountable systems to promote advancements in education. The conclusions reinforce the relevance of FATE as a priority agenda for the design of ethical and inclusive educational technologies.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Rafael Antunes dos Santos, Priscila Ferreira Beni, Eliseo Berni Reategui, Dante Augusto Couto Barone
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