Mathematical Comics in Mathematics Education: A Systematic Literature Review

Mathematical comics represent a didactic resource that enhances the teaching and learning of mathematical concepts by promoting meaningful learning experiences. This study presents a systematic literature review on the use of mathematical comics in mathematics education between 2015 and 2024. The review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines and adopted a qualitative approach to analyze research trends and characteristics. Four academic databases were consulted using search equations in English and Spanish that combined terms related to comics and mathematics. The inclusion criteria delimited the corpus to peer-reviewed articles, conference proceedings, and book chapters published during the specified period. After the identification, screening, and eligibility phases, 49 studies were selected for analysis. The results indicate that mathematical comics have become a topic of growing research interest. Furthermore, they show that they function as versatile pedagogical tools, providing significant value as a comprehensive resource for the teaching and learning of mathematics. However, their application in educational practice remains limited. This highlights the need for further research on their impact, as their potential has not yet been fully developed across diverse educational contexts.