Gamification and Problem-Solving in Primary Education: A Systematic Review of Evidence 2020–2025.

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the impact of gamification on the development of problem-solving skills in primary education students through a systematic literature review of articles published between 2020 and 2025. The PRISMA protocol was used to select and analyze studies from high-impact databases such as Scopus, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, and Scielo. The results show that gamification significantly improves student motivation and active participation, with 41.90% of studies highlighting this effect. However, the impact on academic performance is more moderate, with 20.90% of studies reporting improvements in this area. Various pedagogical approaches were identified, with gamified projects and interactive platforms being the most commonly used, though their implementation varied across educational contexts. In conclusion, gamification is effective in fostering interest and participation in mathematical learning, but its impact on academic performance requires a more careful integration of pedagogical and technological strategies.