Artificial Intelligence in Mathematics Education: A Systematic Review of Opportunities, Challenges, and Pedagogical Implications
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59653/jemls.v3i03.1871Keywords:
Artificial intelligence, Mathematics education, Higher education, ChatGPT, Timor-LesteAbstract
This systematic literature review is a study of the opportunities, difficulties, and educational implications of adopting artificial intelligence (AI) in mathematics education at the tertiary level in Timor-Leste. The review incorporates the international evidence collected based on 31 peer-reviewed studies published between 2016–2025 and presents it, given the realities of a higher education system in a developing country. These results demonstrate that AI, especially large language models like ChatGPT, has significant potential in terms of personalised instruction, customised feedback, and additional tutoring, which would solve the issue of teacher shortages and increase student interest. Despite these, there are still several obstacles, which include threats to academic integrity, algorithm biases, misalignment between cultures/languages, and a lack of infrastructure, particularly in rural areas. The review highlights the necessity of culturally responsive AI design and the development of ethical literacy among educators and learners, as well as the need to adapt to local pedagogical models to ensure equitable and effective application. It finds that AI can be a game changer in mathematics education in Timor-Leste, which should be implemented strategically, in a context-sensitive way, and through strong policies, infrastructure investment, and long-term teacher education leadership.
Downloads
References
Asy’ari, M., & Sharov, S. (2024). Transforming education with ChatGPT: Advancing personalized learning, accessibility, and ethical AI integration. International Journal of Essential Competencies in Education, 3(2), 119-157. https://doi.org/10.36312/ijece.v3i2.2424
Arya, S., Kaji, A. H., & Boermeester, M. A. (2021). PRISMA reporting guidelines for meta-analyses and systematic reviews. JAMA Surgery, 156(8), 789-790. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamasurg.2021.0546
Barrientos, A. A., Del Mundo, M. A., Inoferio, H. V., Adjid, M. A., Hajan, H. B., Ullong, M. M., ... & Espartero, M. M. (2024). Discourse Analysis on Academic Integrity Generative AI: Perspectives from Science and Mathematics Students in Higher Education. Environ. Soc. Psychol, 9, 1-13. https://doi.org/10.59429/esp.v9i9.2927
Borah, P., & Borah, A. C. (2024). A review of use of Artificial Intelligence in teaching and learning of Mathematics. IJSAT-International Journal on Science and Technology, 15(4). https://doi.org/10.71097/IJSAT.v15.i4.1190
CASP. (2018). Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) checklists. https://casp-uk.net/casp-tools-checklists/
Chan, C. (2023). A comprehensive AI policy education framework for university teaching and learning. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 20(1), 38. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41239-023-00408-3
Chan, C., & Lee, K. K. W. (2023). The AI generation gap: Are Gen Z students more interested in adopting generative AI such as ChatGPT in teaching and learning than their Gen X and millennial generation teachers? Smart Learning Environments, 10(1), 1–23. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40561-023-00269-3
Cacho, R. M. (2024). Integrating Generative AI in University Teaching and Learning: A Model for Balanced Guidelines. Online Learning, 28(3), 55-81. https://doi.org/10.24059/olj.v28i3.4508
Can, Z. B., Duman, H., Buluş, B., & Erişen, Y. (2023). How did ChatGPT transform us in terms of transformative learning?. Journal of Social and Educational Research, 2(2). https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10441159
Chen, Y., Jensen, S., Albert, L., Gupta, S., & Lee, T. (2022). Artificial Intelligence (AI) student assistants in the classroom: Designing chatbots to support student success. Information Systems Frontiers, 25, 161–182. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10796-022-10291-4
Cotton, D. R. E., Cotton, P. A., & Shipway, J. R. (2023). Chatting and cheating: Ensuring academic integrity in the era of ChatGPT. Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 61(2), 228–239. https://doi.org/10.1080/14703297.2023.2190148
Eager, B., & Brunton, R. (2023). Prompting higher education towards AI-augmented teaching and learning practice. Journal of University Teaching and Learning Practice, 20(5), Article 2. https://doi.org/10.53761/1.20.5.02
Farrokhnia, M. R., Banihashem, S. K., Noroozi, O., & Wals, A. (2023). A SWOT analysis of ChatGPT: Implications for educational practice and research. Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 61(4), 460–474. https://doi.org/10.1080/14703297.2023.2195846
Hwang, G.-J., & Tu, Y. (2021). Roles and research trends of artificial intelligence in mathematics education: A bibliometric mapping analysis and systematic review. Mathematics, 9(6), Article 584. https://doi.org/10.3390/math9060584
Jeon, J.-B., & Lee, S. (2023). Large language models in education: A focus on the complementary relationship between human teachers and ChatGPT. Education and Information Technologies, 28, 15873–15892. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-023-11834-1
Jin, Y., Yan, L., Echeverria, V., Gašević, D., & Martinez-Maldonado, R. (2025). Generative AI in higher education: A global perspective of institutional adoption policies and guidelines. Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence, 8, 100348. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.caeai.2024.100348
Kuleto, V., Ilić, M. P., Dumangiu, M.-A., Ranković, M., Martins, O. M. D., Păun, D., & Mihoreanu, L. (2021). Exploring opportunities and challenges of artificial intelligence and machine learning in higher education institutions. Sustainability, 13(18), Article 10424. https://doi.org/10.3390/su131810424
Lameras, P., & Arnab, S. (2021). Power to the teachers: An exploratory review on artificial intelligence in education. Information, 13(1). https://doi.org/10.3390/info13010014
Luckin, R., Holmes, W., Griffiths, M., & Forcier, L. B. (2016). Intelligence unleashed: An argument for AI in education. Pearson Education. https://oro.open.ac.uk/50104/
Meylani, R. (2024). Artificial Intelligence in Mathematics Teacher Education: A Systematic Review and Qualitative Synthesis of Contemporary Research Literature. International Journal of Technology in Education Science, 1(1), 63-91. https://ijoftes.net/index.php/ijoftes/article/view/258/316
Molla, A., Yayeh, M., & Bisaw, A. (2023). The current status of faculty members’ pedagogical competence in developing 21st century skills at selected universities in Ethiopia. Cogent Education, 10(2), 2228995. https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2023.2228995
Moher, D., Liberati, A., Tetzlaff, J., Altman, D. G., & The PRISMA Group. (2009). Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses: The PRISMA statement. PLoS Medicine, 6(7). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1000097
Michel-Villarreal, R., Vilalta-Perdomo, E., Salinas-Navarro, D., Thierry-Aguilera, R., & Gerardou, F. S. (2023). Challenges and opportunities of generative AI for higher education as explained by ChatGPT. Education Sciences, 13(9), Article 856. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci13090856
Prill, R., Karlsson, J., Ayeni, O. R., & Becker, R. (2021). Author guidelines for conducting systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy, 29(9), 2739-2744. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-021-06631-7
Raji, I. D., Scheuerman, M., & Amironesei, R. (2021). You can't sit with us: Exclusionary pedagogy in AI ethics education. In Proceedings of the 2021 ACM Conference on Fairness, Accountability, and Transparency (pp. 515–525). https://doi.org/10.1145/3442188.3445914
Sánchez-Ruiz, L., Moll-López, S., Nuñez-Pérez, A., Moraño-Fernández, J., & Vega-Fleitas, E. (2023). ChatGPT challenges blended learning methodologies in engineering education: A case study in mathematics. Applied Sciences, 13(10), Article 6039. https://doi.org/10.3390/app13106039
Saldanha, E. S., da Costa, E., Takeleb, A. M., Piedade, S. D. R., & da Costa, C. A. (2024). Transforming Education in Timor-Leste: The Role of E-Learning and Artificial Intelligence in Boosting Student Achievements. In International Conference on Computers in Education. https://doi.org/10.58459/icce.2024.5033
Seaton, K. (2020). Academic integrity in mathematics education: breaking the silence. In A research agenda for academic integrity (pp. 175-186). Edward Elgar Publishing.
Snyder, H. (2019). Literature review as a research methodology: An overview and guidelines. Journal of Business Research, 104, 333–339. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2019.07.039
Tadesse, T., & Gillies, R. M. (2015). Nurturing ICT competency in prospective teachers: The case of teacher education institutions in Ethiopia. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 31(4), 436–449. https://doi.org/10.14742/ajet.1663
Thomas, J., & Harden, A. (2008). Methods for the thematic synthesis of qualitative research in systematic reviews. BMC Medical Research Methodology, 8(1), 45. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2288-8-45
Wardat, Y., Tashtoush, M. A., Alali, R., & Jarrah, A. M. (2023). ChatGPT: A revolutionary tool for teaching and learning mathematics. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 19(6), Article em2312. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/13272
Xiao, Y., & Zhi, Y. (2023). An exploratory study of EFL learners’ use of ChatGPT for language learning tasks: Experience and perceptions. Languages, 8(3), Article 212. https://doi.org/10.3390/languages8030212
Yu, H., Miao, C., Leung, C., & White, T. (2017). Towards AI-powered personalization in MOOC learning. NPJ Science of Learning, 2. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41539-017-0016-3
Zawacki-Richter, O., Marín, V. I., Bond, M., & Gouverneur, F. (2019). Systematic review of research on artificial intelligence applications in higher education – where are the educators? International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 16(1), 1–27. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41239-019-0171-0
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Salvador Ximenes
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).
