GAMIFICATION IN MATHEMATICS TEACHING: CHARACTERISTICS, BENEFITS AND CHALLENGES

Abstract

Mathematics teaching has faced challenges related to learning difficulties and student disinterest. Gamification, in turn, stands out as a viable alternative to help in this scenario, contributing to student motivation and engagement. In this context, this study aimed to map and systematically analyze the academic production on the application of gamification in Mathematics teaching, identifying its main characteristics, trends, strategies, benefits, challenges, and gaps in the scientific literature. To this end, a systematic literature review (SLR) was carried out, in which 162 articles on the topic, published between 2015 and 2025, were analyzed. The results indicated an increase in publications on the topic from 2020 onwards. The research focused on interventions in Elementary Education, using gamified experiences that were mostly digital (86%), in the format of complete games (82%), and were original creations of the researchers (83%). The most frequently cited benefits resulting from these experiences were increased student engagement and motivation and the promotion of retention and meaningful learning. On the other hand, challenges were also identified, such as the low effectiveness of some experiences, high costs and high technological complexity. Given the above, it was concluded that gamification is a promising strategy for teaching Mathematics, but that it requires careful planning and exploration of more accessible alternatives.