This study analyzes the impact of curricular digitalization on mathematics education. Using a mixed-methods approach, data were collected through semi-structured interviews with teachers, student surveys, curriculum planning reviews, and classroom observations. The findings reveal a growing adoption of learning management tools and platforms, which have expanded didactic possibilities in the teaching of mathematical content; however, gaps remain between the planned curriculum and its implementation. Additionally, structural limitations related to ongoing teacher training and connectivity are evident. In conclusion, curricular digitalization in mathematics represents a renewal of pedagogical practices, but its effectiveness depends on institutional, technological, and training-related factors. A deeper and more critical integration of ICT into the curriculum is required—one that not only incorporates digital tools but also transforms teaching methodologies and promotes meaningful and equitable learning for all students.
Keywords: Curricular Digitalization; Pragmatism; Artificial Intelligence; Mathematics Education; Curricular Elements

The imminent need to incorporate digital tools into the teaching of knowledge areas highlights the urgency of transforming didactic conceptions and making significant adjustments to curricula (Díaz-Barriga, 2013). Consequently, the teaching and learning process of Mathematics has undergone various approaches depending on the characteristics of each country's curricular designs. In this regard, there arises a need to pursue the applicability of skills aligned with performance criteria through the digitalization of constructivist pragmatism, as the central guiding criterion established by the Ministry of Education (2016) in its epistemological and pedagogical foundations. This is approached from a perspective of integration and interaction, materialized in problem-solving that is effective, authentic, and situated—while also enabling the interaction of the foundational pillars of education proposed by Delors et al. (1996).

As education becomes more innovative and flexible, Artificial Intelligence (AI) emerges as a criterion for the digitalization of curricular elements. In this context, González Beade et al. (2023) argue that institutions must proceed with curricular updates, while educators must assume the role of responsible leaders to ensure appropriate education for the 21st century. From this standpoint, knowledge management through the use of ICT becomes the fundamental alternative for the teaching and learning process, functioning as an alternative system that allows for and facilitates personalization or diversification based on students and the specific needs of educational systems—thereby achieving the expected learning outcomes (Navarrete-Cazales & Manzanilla-Granados, 2023). This automation supports and promotes autonomous development, a fundamental characteristic of constructivism, while also allowing for its combination with connectivism to foster active and transformative learning in the teaching of mathematics in an experiential and meaningful way that responds to existing needs.

In line with the above, techno-educational progress stimulates the development of 21st-century competencies and skills, while enabling the incorporation, innovation, and use of technological advances in educational contexts. Therefore, this article addresses the impact of curricular digitalization on the teaching processes of mathematics, considering teaching strategies, the use of digital technologies, and the perception of educational stakeholders. This objective enables an analysis of its applicability, responding to the scientific question: How does curricular digitalization impact the teaching of mathematics in terms of pedagogical strategies, use of digital technologies, and the perceptions of teachers and students?

Curricular digitalization must be understood as a cornerstone for optimizing curricular processes (Pardo Baldoví et al., 2025), while simultaneously serving as an integrative process for technological and digital tools within current educational curricula. This approach inherently embraces the principles of connectivism as established by Siemens (2004) and Downes (2022), enabling the enhancement of curricular elements through the use of platforms that support teaching-learning processes, the development and application of simulations for events that are complex to experience directly, the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI), and the incorporation of interactive and online resources for the personalization and updating of learning. In the specific case of Mathematics, this enables digitalization based on specialized elements of that field of knowledge.

In this regard, the teaching of mathematics sees the emergence of technological approaches as a response to the need for process improvement. These approaches facilitate access to dynamic resources that offer situated responses to existing challenges from a pragmatic perspective, emphasizing effective problem-solving supported by digitalization, thereby allowing for the management of curricular elements.

Considering that, for Mellado (1958) and Dewey (2022), the pragmatic approach holds significant influence in education, it acquires greater relevance in Mathematics, given that the subject must be understood through its practical applicability. This underscores the necessity of curriculum digitalization aimed at the practical application of knowledge for the development of logical and analytical thinking, for which digital tools enhance meaningful learning and increase student motivation. In this direction, virtual simulations constitute a strategy grounded in the scientific method (Palacios et al., 2024), while simultaneously recreating real-life situations through various graphical and numerical representations, thus enabling the comprehension of complex processes and phenomena.

In turn, AI facilitates the creation of learning paths that allow for the diversification of curricular elements according to different learning rhythms and styles. In this regard, Posso Pacheco et al. (2025) argue that AI is essential for personalizing instruction. The above demonstrates a positive impact on the mathematics teaching process—enhancing conceptual understanding and application, fostering logical-mathematical reasoning and thinking, as well as student autonomy in real-world contexts.

Despite the benefits of curriculum digitalization, challenges remain, particularly the need to reduce the digital divide in Ecuador, address teacher training gaps—especially regarding digital literacy—and move beyond traditional behaviorist or cognitivist approaches. Therefore, both ongoing professional development and curricular redesign at both compulsory and higher education levels are necessary (González Beade et al., 2022) to improve learning experiences and ensure a balance between pedagogical and digital components

This study is grounded in a positivist–interpretivist paradigm (Dávila, 2022), initially employing quantitative methods to assess the impact of curricular digitalization on mathematics instruction, and subsequently integrating qualitative insights to capture the perceptions and lived experiences of educational stakeholders. Accordingly, a mixed-methods research approach was employed (Hernández Sampieri et al., 2014), facilitating a comprehensive and multidimensional understanding through methodological triangulation.

The research design followed an exploratory-descriptive framework (Martínez, 2020), focusing on three private educational institutions that had integrated digitalized mathematics curricula, within the flexible policy parameters established by Ecuador’s Ministry of Education. Utilizing a multiple case study methodology, the investigation identified exemplary practices, critical challenges, and emergent opportunities pertaining to curricular digitalization and mathematics pedagogy, framed within a pragmatic educational perspective.

The study population comprised 15 educators and 500 students from three private schools located in Guayaquil, Quito, and Cuenca, all of which had formally adopted digitalized curricula. A purposive sampling strategy was employed to collect targeted, in-depth data relevant to the phenomenon under investigation, as recommended by Hernández Sampieri et al. (2014) and Martínez (2020). Data collection instruments were specifically administered to secondary-level teachers and students, enabling a focused exploration of their experiences and insights.

Data collection involved the use of semi-structured interviews administered to teachers, aimed at exploring strategies and challenges associated with curricular digitalization. In parallel, structured surveys were distributed to students to capture their experiences regarding the integration of digital tools into the teaching and learning process. Additionally, a review of the Annual Curricular Plan (ACP) for the mathematics subject was conducted, which was complemented by participant observation of classroom sessions. This methodological triangulation enabled the identification of patterns in the use of technology and informed a comparative analysis with findings from other scholarly works.

The processing of qualitative data—derived from interviews, ACP reviews, and classroom observations—was carried out through categorical analysis, focusing on emergent themes drawn from participants’ experiences and perceptions. In contrast, the survey data were analyzed using descriptive statistical methods, with analytical support provided by ChatGPT.

In terms of ethical considerations, the identities of participating institutions and individuals have been kept anonymous to ensure privacy and confidentiality. Furthermore, the Mendeley reference manager was employed to systematize all cited documentary sources, ensuring accuracy and consistency in the handling of references

The results from the semi-structured interviews were obtained through a systemic analysis, establishing common criteria that allowed for the categorization of responses for subsequent interpretation and analysis. To this end, the responses were synthesized as presented below.

To understand students’ experiences regarding the integration of digital tools into the teaching and learning process, a structured survey was administered to 300 students. The findings reflect their level of satisfaction with digital tools, as presented below.

Table 2.
Distribution of Responses Across Each of the Analyzed Dimensions.

The review of the Annual Curricular Plan (ACP) for the Mathematics subject, complemented by participant classroom observation, made it possible to identify patterns in the use of technology, as shown below.

Los The results presented in the previous section enabled triangulation for identifying trends and contrasts in curricular digitalization in the Mathematics subject. For this purpose, organizing the information for discussion was essential. Regarding the teacher interviews, it became evident that although topics related to teaching strategies and digital practices are widely discussed within the scientific community and numerous findings have been published in the specialized literature, a certain resistance and diversity of positions toward the digitalization of curricular elements persist. In this regard, Torres Cahuana et al. (2021) suggest that digitalization is a common tool in the digital age; this aligns with the nature of new generations, which are closely linked to technology. Therefore, pedagogical practices should be characterized by digitalization, as it fosters active student participation and ongoing interaction. However, it must also be considered, from a public policy perspective, that many institutions face limitations in achieving these goals.

Regarding students’ perceptions of digitalization, motivation and enthusiasm were observed in the activities and surveys conducted. Consistent with Martín Cuadrado (2010), a positive attitude toward ICT and curriculum digitalization was evident, leading to meaningful learning. However, challenges such as access to devices and internet connectivity continue to structurally hinder the teaching and learning process in the Mathematics subject.

In relation to curricular coherence and technology, the PCA revealed that digitalization of the elements established in the guidelines of the Secretaría de Fundamentos Educativos (2019) and the Ministerio de Educación (2021b) are considered, both in management criteria and curricular planning. In class session observations, the use of various types of presentations through digital tools was evident, serving as support platforms for the teaching and learning process. These tools facilitated knowledge construction, the development of performance-based skills, and the achievement of mathematical competencies, demonstrating a didactic approach that enables the transfer of knowledge to real-life contexts and its articulation with active methodologies. In this sense, the findings support what Pineda Varela et al. (2025) propose: ICTs allow the integration of pedagogical strategies and didactic methodologies into planning, while also recommending ongoing teacher training.

Finally, significant challenges were identified regarding the curricular digitalization of the Mathematics subject, primarily linked to local contexts and the contradiction of having a national curriculum that, although declared as flexible, hinders the contextualization of certain elements. One such challenge is the need for ongoing training not only for teachers, as recommended by Pineda Varela et al. (2025), but also for students. First, because the Ministerio de Educación (2021a) establishes mathematical competencies; second, because although students are digital natives, their primary knowledge is limited to social media usage rather than tools that support problem-solving. Furthermore, despite institutions declaring that Mathematics instruction is supported by technology, persistent access gaps must be addressed, along with difficulties in assessing authentic learning outcomes.

In recent years, digitalization has impacted curriculum management by modifying teaching practices in the Mathematics subject, while promoting the use of technology for problem-solving. This has enabled a dynamic representation of curricular elements, but its impact depends on teacher flexibility and capacities.

A gap persists between the established curriculum, the institution’s planning, and classroom-level management in relation to digitalization. This limits the actual impact of ICT on mathematical learning, revealing a fragmented application between ministerial instruments and the real needs of the context.

The impact of curricular digitalization in Mathematics instruction continues to be influenced by structural variables such as teacher training, access to technology, and public and institutional policies. This allows us to conclude that despite the motivation to use technology, its impact is conditioned by equity, training, and technological culture.

Conflict of Interest: The author declares no conflict of interest.

Author Contributions:
González Beade, I.: Conceptualization, Formal Analysis, Methodology, Investigation, Supervision, Validation, Writing – Original Draft, Writing – Review & Editing
Barrera Jimenez, R: Conceptualization, Formal Analysis, Methodology, Investigation, Supervision, Writing – Original Draft, Writing – Review & Editing
Pérez Barrera, H. M.: Conceptualization, Formal Analysis, Methodology, Investigation, Writing – Original Draft, Writing – Review & Editing