This study investigates trends and developments in online education research from 2014 to 2024, focusing on highly cited literature. A bibliometric analysis of 204 publications was conducted using VOSviewer, Scimago Graphica, and R to visualize the impact of sources based on H-index, identify core journals through Bradford’s Law, map contributions of countries and regions, and analyze keyword co-occurrence networks. The results show a steady rise in online education publications, with citations peaking in 2022 at 11,300, reflecting increasing academic interest. Key authors such as Wang D and Stojanovic V were identified as highly influential based on their H-index. The University of California System and Central China Normal University were leading contributors, while journals like Computers & Education and Education and Information Technologies had the highest publication counts and impact. Global collaboration between China and the USA was significant. The keyword analysis highlighted critical topics, including higher education, e-learning, and the effect of COVID-19. The study also emphasizes the growing focus on mental health, particularly depression and anxiety, in the context of online learning during the pandemic. These findings provide a foundation for guiding future research and policy development in online education.