Affordances, Challenges, and Opportunities of ChatGPT in Mathematics Education: A Scoping Review

The rapid rise of ChatGPT and other large language models (LLMs) has drawn significant attention to their potential impacts on research and educational practices, necessitating critical evaluation and adaptation. In mathematics education, questions remain about the affordances, challenges and opportunities associated with these Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen AI) tools. This study presents a comprehensive scoping review of 28 studies to examine the current applications, methodologies, and impacts of ChatGPT in mathematics education. Our findings indicate that most research emphasizes tool-driven evaluations of ChatGPT’s performance in solving mathematical problems, with limited exploration of human-AI interactions and user perceptions. While studies span various educational levels, the majority addresses K-12 mathematics. ChatGPT shows strengths in solving procedural and straightforward problems, providing step-by-step explanations, and clarifying concepts especially in lower-complexity mathematics. However, its limitations in solving complex, multistep problems, or those that require visual and spatial reasoning, and its tendencies to hallucinate or produce verbose responses pose challenges, particularly for learners with limited mathematical proficiency. These findings underscore the need for future research on ChatGPT’s integration in specific educational contexts, with a focus on human-driven approaches and development of pedagogical practices. They also highlight the potential of ChatGPT and similar Gen AI tools in mathematics education when used thoughtfully and strategically. To realize this potential, teacher training and professional development should focus on equipping educators with technological knowledge and technical skills necessary to effectively incorporate Gen AI tools into their instructional practices.