Transmedia digital narratives in mathematics teaching in educational contexts: a systematic, bibliometric, and structural review (2014–2024)

Introduction: This article presents a systematic review of the literature on the use of transmedia digital narratives in mathematics teaching in educational contexts in the period 2014–2024. The relevance of this research in educational contexts lies in the evidence it provides on the transformative potential of transmedia narratives as an innovative resource that articulates cognitive, socio-emotional, and digital dimensions of learning.

Methods: The review was developed following the PRISMA methodology, which enabled the refinement of a final corpus of 22 publications from records retrieved from two academic databases, ERIC and Web of Science. A quantitative and qualitative synthesis was conducted to analyze temporal trends, narrative types, pedagogical approaches, and reported learning outcomes.

Results: The analysis shows that this is an emerging field, with moderate but irregular growth in scientific production. Four main types of transmedia digital narratives were identified: (1) digital storytelling, (2) comics and graphic narratives, (3) gamification and interactive worlds, and (4) audiovisual and multimedia resources. These narratives were associated with cognitive outcomes such as conceptual understanding, creativity, and problem solving, as well as socio-emotional outcomes including motivation, self-confidence, participation, and reduced mathematics anxiety.

Discussion: The findings indicate that transmedia digital narratives operate within pedagogical approaches such as constructivism, situated learning, and digital literacy, supporting learning in interactive, multimodal, and culturally diverse environments. While the results highlight the educational potential of these approaches, limitations were also identified in the reviewed literature, including the small number of studies and the heterogeneity of methodologies, populations, and educational levels, which restrict strong comparisons. This underscores the need for broader and more longitudinal research on the role of transmedia narratives in mathematics education.

1 Introduction

In mathematics education, it has been observed that students' lack of motivation and low engagement directly impact academic performance and promote the persistence of negative attitudes toward the discipline. Therefore, in light of this problem, efforts have been initiated to find strategies that positively promote learning based on what interests' students. Eventually, various studies have been proposed with the aim of deepening our understanding from a pedagogical and technological perspective (Jukić Matić and Marković, 2024; McCarthy et al., 2018; Ruiz-Bañuls et al., 2021). Irmayanti et al. (2025) indicate that another highly proven situation focuses on what they call math anxiety, which creates a barrier to student learning and confirms the need to create new resources using digital literacy that promotes the increased use of digital technologies (Vargas Franco, 2015).

Ruiz-Bañuls et al. (2021), with the aim of reinforcing mathematics learning through skills such as creativity based on motivation, propose strategies such as transmedia and gamification. Thus, transmedia digital narratives (TDN) make it possible to provide experiences and benefits in students' cognitive development (Acuy Rodríguez and Baca Cáceres, 2022). Through the use of different digital media and platforms, such as virtual gamification tools, they manage to increase skills such as communication and mathematical representation (Albano and Pierri, 2017; Jukić Matić and Marković, 2024), and above all, reduce the stress of facing everyday mathematical problems (Irmayanti et al., 2025).

With regard to transmedia digital narratives and with the aim of examining their contribution, progress, and orientation in mathematics education, a systematic review of the literature was conducted using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) methodology, to support the search, selection, and analysis phases of research related to these innovative digital tools (Page et al., 2021). In addition, the Tree of Science (ToS) metaphor was integrated, allowing three levels of scientific work organization to be established. On the one hand, the roots represent the works that constitute the beginning of the field; subsequently, the trunk indicates the consolidation and strengthens the methodological framework; further on, the leaves enable the opening of new lines of research. By classifying research related to transmedia digital narratives and their application in mathematics education, it is possible to observe their growth and contribution to the field.

In order to achieve the objective, a search equation was defined using key words such as transmedia narratives and mathematics education, expressed as: “digital transmedia narratives” AND “math education,” applying it to the two databases used for the research, Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) and Web of Science (WoS), over a period of time spanning from 2014 to 2024, which constitutes a solid basis for examining the types of narratives used, the reported learning outcomes, and the predominant pedagogical approaches.

Compared to transmedia digital narratives, design thinking (DT) also appears as an innovative strategy, with the ability to create new learning procedures, that is, the relationship it establishes with the field of education, hence promoting autonomous learning through complex thinking by including practices that stimulate interaction with contemporary technologies, changing the paradigm of traditionalism (Arias Flores et al., 2019; Ñontol Oyarce et al., 2022). In line with the above, DT has proven to be effective at levels such as higher education, transforming learning environments by increasing student involvement (Yilmaz, 2022). In this sense, the incorporation of these two methodologies, transmedia digital narratives and design thinking (Ellis et al., 2020), coincides with the centralization of education on the student, who becomes the protagonist of the educational process, relegating the teacher to the role of organizer.

With regard to design thinking methodologies and transmedia digital narratives, it is important to consider them not only from a pedagogical perspective, but also from a social, scientific, and technological perspective. In fact, Alonso and Murgia (2018) and (Amador-Baquiro 2018) assert that the connection between the acquisition of mathematical knowledge, culture, and students' everyday lives encourages their participation. On the other hand, from a technological perspective, it allows for the allocation of digital tools and, in turn, the exploration of new areas of learning (Drijvers and Sinclair, 2024). Equally important, from a scientific point of view, alternative learning methodologies can be flexible and cutting-edge (González-Martínez et al., 2019; Meyerhofer-Parra, 2025; Wu and Chen, 2020).

In contrast to the above, in addition to the similarities between transmedia digital narratives and design thinking, or rather, these strategies give rise to learning that makes sense to students, both differ in their approaches. On the one hand, NDTs demonstrate experiences in virtual gamification environments, considering a more communicative learning approach (Jukić Matić and Marković, 2024; Ruiz-Bañuls et al., 2021); on the other hand, DT presents greater organization in its methodology through its phases, promoting collaborative learning. Thus, in both cases, the role of the teacher is crucial to ensuring the effectiveness of these practices (Ñontol Oyarce et al., 2022).

However, others point to gaps related to teacher training and technological infrastructure (Drijvers and Sinclair, 2024; Li et al., 2025). Therefore, there is still no solid framework linking these experiences in mathematics teaching, despite bibliometric studies showing an increase in research on digital narratives (Enciso et al., 2016).

This study is guided in this context by the research question: in school settings, how have transmedia digital narratives been used in mathematics education and learning during the period 2014–2024? The objectives of this work are: first, to analyze and structure the existing literature on transmedia digital narratives applied to mathematics teaching; second, to identify trends, opportunities, and challenges related to their use; and third, to provide a broad frame of reference that will enable the development of future research in the field of mathematics.

2 Methodology

This research is based on a systematic review of the literature, with the aim of examining publications related to transmedia digital narratives in mathematics education between 2014 and 2024, in a comprehensive, transparent, and critical manner, using the PRISMA methodology, structured in three stages detailed in Figure 1. To begin with, the search stage focused on two academic databases with extensive international references, WoS and ERIC, resulting in 143 initial publications, 79 and 64, respectively. Subsequently, the same search strategy and filters were applied to the Scopus database as a complementary source. This complementary search retrieved a single record, which was examined and excluded as it was a duplicate. Thus, the identification phase yielded a total of 144 records (ERIC = 64; WoS = 79; Scopus = 1) before removing duplicates. After removing three duplicates, 141 articles remained, which were then subjected to the selection stage, organizing the information in a structural analysis grid (SAG; Page et al., 2021). The limited additional yield from Scopus suggests that ERIC and Web of Science provided comprehensive coverage for the specific scope and focus of this review.

Figure 1

Figure 1. Flowchart of the PRISMA methodology, showing the stages of identification, selection process, data extraction, and analysis of studies on transmedia digital narratives and mathematics education in the period 2014–2024.

The phases established in the aforementioned methodology are:

• Identification: in this phase, the search equation and the selection of relevant sources of scientific articles were established.

• Selection: filters are applied to detect duplicates and those that do not meet the inclusion criteria.

• Data extraction and analysis: full-text studies were reviewed in depth to confirm whether they met the inclusion criteria established for the systematic review, and the final documents to be included in the review for analysis were consolidated.

The above refers to the stages of the PRISMA methodology:

• Identification of articles using the search strategy defined in ERIC and WoS.

• Systematic selection process for articles, following the inclusion and exclusion criteria for analysis.

• Extraction and analysis of data from the articles systematized in a structural analysis grid (SAG).

This approach enabled a thematic categorization process to be carried out, identifying patterns, relevant contributions, and gaps in the literature on TDN applied to mathematics education. The identification, refinement, and selection procedure were documented in the PRISMA flowchart, which clearly and visually summarizes the methodological process, ensuring the traceability of the decisions made.

2.1 Stage 1 (Identification)

At this stage, a systematic search strategy was established to ensure the comprehensiveness and relevance of the articles collected. To this end, three databases were selected: WoS, ERIC, and Scopus, which have extensive coverage in educational and scientific research. The search equation used was “Transmedia digital narratives” AND “math education,” which is designed to capture studies that explicitly integrate the transmedia approach with mathematics teaching and learning processes. In order to evaluate the quality of the publications consulted, the Scimago Journal Rank (SJR) classification of journals was used. This groups publications into quartiles (Q1, Q2, Q3, and Q4), which divide scientific journals according to their impact. In addition, the h-index was taken into account, which is defined as the number h of articles that have received at least h citations each. For this study, priority was given to the inclusion of articles published in quartiles Q1 and Q2, guaranteeing the rigor of the peer review process and thus obtaining greater visibility in the academic world.

The search was limited to articles published between 2014 and 2024, in Spanish or English, as well as scientific articles that met the criteria for peer-reviewed articles, extracted from the three databases WoS, ERIC, and Scopus. The initial search identified 144 records (64 in ERIC, 79 in WoS, and one in Scopus), which formed the basis of the screening process. Table 1 shows the characteristics of the search strategy used to identify the references to be analyzed.

Table 1

Table 1. Search strategy and results.

2.2 Stage 2 (Selection process)

The article selection process was carried out following the phases established by the PRISMA 2020 methodology, in order to systematically refine the set of articles obtained in the previous stage. First, the results were managed using the Zotero tool (Mueen Ahmed and Al Dhubaib, 2011), in which three duplicate articles detected by the software were automatically eliminated, resulting in 141 records. Second, exclusion filters were applied: eight documents that did not correspond to peer-reviewed articles were discarded, as well as 15 articles that were outside the established time range, resulting in 118 documents. Subsequently, in the title evaluation stage, 62 articles that were not directly related to the topic were discarded, thus reducing the corpus to 56. Finally, after reading the abstracts and full texts, 34 documents were excluded because they did not focus on the intersection between transmedia digital narratives and mathematics education. Ultimately, a total of 22 articles were obtained for the qualitative synthesis. Two independent reviewers conducted the selection and data extraction processes; discrepancies were resolved through discussion until consensus was reached. Although inter-rater reliability statistics were not calculated, this procedure ensured consistency and reduced selection bias.

Using data mining techniques, bibliographic metadata was obtained, such as authors, country, journal, year of publication, and DOI. Web crawling techniques were also used in CrossRef to recover missing metadata.

2.3 Stage 3 (Data extraction and analysis)

In this final stage of information extraction and analysis, the articles resulting from the previous stage were systematized in a structural analysis grid (SAG) developed for this study, allowing for the comparative organization of different variables such as author, year of publication, country of origin, educational level, type of transmedia narrative, digital platform used, learning outcomes, pedagogical approach, and limitations of the studies. Based on this information, a thematic categorization was developed, which allowed for the identification of common patterns, the comparison of methodological approaches, and the highlighting of notable contributions regarding the impact of digital transmedia narratives (TDN) on mathematics education.

The Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMTA) was used to assess the methodological quality of the included studies. This tool allows qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-method studies to be evaluated within a single framework. This quality assessment focused on the clarity of the research design, data collection procedures, and analytical rigor; the results of this assessment served as the basis for interpreting the findings but did not constitute exclusion criteria.

In order to quantitatively characterize academic production, bibliometric analysis indicators were incorporated. In particular, the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) was calculated, which made it possible to estimate the evolution of interest in the topic over time (2014–2024). Its formula is expressed as: $CAGR={(\frac{V_f}{V_i})}^{\frac{1}{n}}-1$, where V_f is the value of the bibliometric metric at the end of the study period, V_i establishes the value of the bibliometric metric at the beginning of the study period, and n represents the number of years in the period in which growth is analyzed. Additionally, the coefficient of variation (CV) evaluates the degree of stability or dispersion in the number of publications per year through the expression $CV=\frac{\sigma }{\mu }\times 100$, where σ represents the standard deviation and μ indicates the arithmetic mean of the number of publications throughout the year.

On the other hand, the Tree of Science (ToS) methodology, a recent tool that allows the identification of relevant literature, where the roots are the classics, the trunk is the structural publications, and the leaves are the most recent articles (Valencia-Hernández et al., 2020), was used as a strategy to classify, organize, and visualize the structure of accumulated knowledge in the field of transmedia digital narratives applied to mathematics education.

• Roots, which correspond to the foundational works and theoretical frameworks that provide the essential concepts, for example, transmedia narratives and digital literacies.

• Trunk, which integrates research consolidating methodologies, didactic proposals in diverse educational contexts, and pedagogical experiences.

• Branches, which bring together recent and emerging contributions that explore innovations, new platforms, and future perspectives.

In addition, a bibliographic mapping analysis was performed using VOSviewer software to identify patterns of keyword co-occurrence. This analysis was carried out using keywords from the authors with a minimum occurrence threshold of two, applying the association strength normalization method. This visualization supported the thematic synthesis of the results.

3 Results

3.1 Temporary distribution of production

The final corpus of 22 studies is distributed between 2014 and 2024. During this period, production has been irregular but growing in recent years: in 2016 and 2018, there were early peaks with three publications for WoS alone and four when considering both databases, but the most recent concentration of publications was between 2021 and 2022, with three in each year; In general, it is shown that there are more publications in Web of Science than in ERIC on transmedia digital narratives and mathematics education. This evolution is accompanied by a modest average annual growth rate between 2014 and 2024 of 4.1% per year in academic production, which indicates sustained, albeit moderate, interest in the subject. However, the coefficient of variation of 44.7% shows high interannual dispersion, demonstrating periods of growth followed by low or no production (Figure 2). These results indicate that, although research on transmedia digital narratives applied to mathematics education is in its infancy, it is in the process of consolidation, but with a trajectory marked by intermittency.

Figure 2

Figure 2. Distribution of publications by year (2014–2024) from the ERIC and WoS databases. Irregular growth can be observed, with peaks in 2016 and 2018, and a recent uptick in 2022 and 2024.

During 2019, 2020, and 2023, there was no production, demonstrating a discontinuity in the consolidation of the research line. For this period, the highest peaks occurred during 2016 and 2018 with three publications each year, with articles such as “Book trailers in early childhood and primary education: digital, communicative, and literary competence through digital narratives” (Ibarra-Rius and Ballester-Roca, 2016) and “The use of digital storytelling in the training of primary school mathematics teachers” (Faruk Islim et al., 2018), which are highly cited.

For the years 2022 and 2024, an increase in scientific production is identified, with 2 and 3 publications each year, respectively. This evidence gives rise to renewed attention to the topic in recent literature (Figure 3).

Figure 3

Figure 3. Distribution of publications by year (2014–2024) from the ERIC + WoS databases. The peaks in production in 2016 and 2018, as well as in 2022 and 2024, are highlighted.

3.2 Geographical distribution and educational levels

The studies come mainly from Europe (Germany, Spain, Greece, Norway, Portugal, the United Kingdom, and Turkey) with nine publications, followed by the United States with a total of eight publications, while Asia (Indonesia), Oceania (Australia), and Latin America (Brazil and Colombia) are less represented with one article each (Table 2).

Table 2

Table 2. Geographic distribution of studies included in the review (n = 22).

Table 2 shows two columns: the first shows the production of articles by country and their percentage of the total; the second shows citations divided between the total number of citations and the average per article. Additionally, the table shows the distribution in terms of quality, measured by quartiles extracted from Scimago. In quartile 1 (Q1), the United States leads with five publications, followed by Saudi Arabia, Australia, Spain, Greece, and the United Kingdom with one article each. In quartile Q2, Brazil, Spain, the United States, Norway, the United Kingdom, and Turkey each have one publication. In quartile Q3, Colombia (1), the United States (1), and Indonesia (1) are represented. Likewise, there are no publications in quartile 4 (Q4), while Australia and Portugal are not indexed.

Figure 4 shows the distribution according to educational level. It highlights that 31.8% of publications focus on secondary education, followed by 22.7% on primary education. It also shows that these two levels share applied studies, adding 18.2%. This concentration indicates that TDN design is being explored more extensively at educational levels where mathematical content requires innovative teaching strategies. On the other hand, authors such as Faruk Islim et al. (2018), Campalans (2015), and Zorrilla Abascal (2016) extended the topic to higher education, and even further, to the training of future mathematics teachers in the use of transmedia digital narratives. For this study, a total of 13.6% of publications were found to be related to this topic. Figure 5 shows the density of occurrence of the most frequent terms, highlighting as central nuclei “foreign countries,” “student attitudes,” “secondary school students,” “mathematics instruction,” and “technology uses in education.” These appear with greater chromatic intensity, confirming that the research focuses mainly on secondary school students, their attitudes toward mathematics learning, and how they integrate with technological resources throughout instruction.

Figure 4

Figure 4. Distribution of the analysis corpus according to educational level.

Figure 5

Figure 5. Keyword co-occurrence heat map. Source: VOSviewer.

With regard to the elementary level, studies such as that by McCarthy et al. (2018) implement popular characters from children's programs through videos, digital games, etc. in the teaching of mathematical concepts such as counting, comparing numbers, and patterns. For secondary school, which is the level at which most of the publications in this study are presented, Amador-Baquiro (2018) uses different digital tools to construct TDN, integrating the different elements that make up this methodology.

3.3 Types of transmedia narratives and platforms used

The analysis of the 22 articles in this study identified the diversity of transmedia digital narratives used in mathematics teaching and learning, starting with traditional approaches that have been adapted to digital media, as well as innovative proposals that have recently come into use. As a result, four main areas were identified: audio-visual and multimedia resources, gamification and interactive worlds, comics and graphic narratives, and digital storytelling (Table 3). These approaches are not pedagogically neutral. While storytelling and graphic narratives are predominantly associated with conceptual understanding and meaning-making, gamification and interactive environments are more often linked to outcomes related to motivation and engagement.

Table 3

Table 3. Types of transmedia narratives in mathematics education (2014–2024).

Beyond their classification, the four types of transmedia narratives identified in this review have distinct functional and pedagogical characteristics. Storytelling is mainly used to contextualize mathematical concepts through narrative structures, allowing students to engage with abstract ideas through characters, settings, and problem-based plots. In different studies, storytelling functions as an introductory device to present mathematical problems or as a project-based activity in which students construct narratives to demonstrate their understanding. On the other hand, comics and graphic narratives emphasize visual sequencing and multimodal representation, which helps students interpret spatial relationships, symbolic transformations, and mathematical processes. These narratives are often implemented as teaching materials or as student-generated artifacts, especially in areas that require visual reasoning.

Moving on, gamification and interactive worlds work through rule-based environments, simulations, and feedback systems that promote active exploration, particularly in data-driven or probabilistic tasks. These approaches are often used for formative assessment, practice, and engagement in extended learning sequences. Finally, transmedia multimedia and audiovisual resources integrate video, animation, and interactive elements to support the explanation, demonstration, and reinforcement of mathematical concepts through multiple modes of representation.

The network map in Figure 6 shows the organization of keywords into four clusters: first, green, based on mathematics instruction and how it relates to gamification, educational games, and video games; second, red, which focuses on student attitudes, digital storytelling, and those learning experiences in secondary school; third, blue, which links personal narratives, active learning, and secondary school students; fourth, yellow, which is associated with distance learning, the pandemic, and the role of teachers in these contexts. The distribution of these clusters confirms that TDNs in mathematics are being articulated around axes that combine pedagogical innovation with recent technological and sociocultural changes.

Figure 6

Figure 6. Keyword co-occurrence map. Source: VOSviewer.

Firstly, audiovisual and multimedia resources include videos, podcasts, and multimodal narratives. Drijvers and Sinclair (2024) point out that these elements allow for a significant expansion of the narrative across different formats and platforms, creating more complete and immersive transmedia experiences in the digital environments where students interact. This situation, in which students have access to different types of media, captures their attention and encourages them to take an interest in the development of a story by actively participating in it (Gomes Pereira and Gabriel Pedro, 2023).

Subsequently, gamification and interactive worlds play an important role in this study, since these experiences are based on the use of platforms that simulate a game environment, where students must overcome different challenges to advance through the narrative. Jukić Matić and Marković (2024) argue that the use of digital games in mathematics teaching activates interest and increases student participation, thus making learning this subject more attractive. Furthermore, for Irmayanti et al. (2025) support narratives in video game mechanics in order to mitigate math anxiety and improve attitude, since they do not only seek to teach. Similarly, Ruiz-Bañuls et al. (2021), in their study of the proposal analyzed, highlight that the implementation of a game-based curriculum leads to advantages in educational environments.

On the other hand, Guacán Tandayamo et al. (2023), highlighting mathematics education in secondary school through the use of comics, emphasize that this is an effective method for students to develop their mathematical knowledge, as they explore visual language, facilitating the acquisition and appropriation of abstract concepts supported by a narrative sequence, through humor, characters, and plots that allow interaction with the content. Axelrod and Kahn (2024), for their part, add that these practices not only promote interest and participation, but also validate their cultural experiences in the learning process.

Finally, one of the most common forms of transmedia is digital storytelling, in which all stories are articulated across different media, thereby reinforcing conceptual understanding and becoming a powerful tool for digital literacy (Lisenbee and Ford, 2018). This approach is aimed at capturing students' attention by contextualizing mathematical problems with everyday life, which promotes situated learning (Albano and Pierri, 2017; García-Rojas et al., 2024).

To ensure transparency and replicability of the synthesis process, the 22 studies included in the final corpus were systematized in a structured evidence table (Appendix A). This appendix details, for each article, the country and educational level, the type of transmedia digital narrative implemented, the research design, and the main educational contributions reported. This mapping allowed us to identify four dominant types of transmedia narratives, mentioned above, and thus to relate each type to specific learning objectives and educational contexts.

3.4 Reported learning outcomes

In reviewing the studies, broad learning outcomes were identified, reflecting not only the acquisition of mathematical content, but also the impact of transmedia narratives in two dimensions: socio-emotional and attitudinal aspects of learning (Amador-Baquiro, 2018; Ibarra-Rius and Ballester-Roca, 2016; McCarthy et al., 2018).

Firstly, from a cognitive perspective, the articles analyzed show significant improvements in conceptual understanding in mathematical problem solving. In this case, digital storytelling and comics prove to be more effective for understanding abstract concepts, as they rely on familiar formats and visual aids (Guacán Tandayamo et al., 2023). Similarly, gaming environments are also associated with an increase in the ability to apply acquired knowledge in various contexts, which demonstrates transferable learning beyond the traditional classroom (Irmayanti et al., 2025; Wee, 2024). In other words, TDNs take advantage of the convergence of different media, allowing teachers and students to enrich the learning process and take advantage of opportunities that meet the educational needs of the 21st century (Fleming, 2013; Rodrígues and Bidarra, 2014).

Secondly, from an attitudinal and socio-emotional perspective, various studies highlight greater motivation for mathematics, since incorporating transmedia digital narratives transforms mathematical content into a creative and playful experience (Kim and Li, 2021; Robin, 2016), such as short films or movies (Russo et al., 2021). Along the same lines, Irmayanti et al. (2025) demonstrate a decrease in so-called math anxiety in students who were exposed to immersive narratives, especially games and simulators, which promote collaboration and positive reinforcement (Drijvers and Sinclair, 2024).

On the other hand, articles in the study highlight how TDNs contribute to the development of soft skills such as collaborative work, creativity, and communication, creating the possibility of interacting with different formats and platforms that complement mathematical learning (Jukić Matić and Marković, 2024).

In short, among the learning outcomes identified throughout the analysis corpus, it appears that transmedia narratives are not only an innovative resource, but also contribute to the comprehensive education of students. In other words, there is a double impact: first, they improve understanding of abstract mathematical concepts, and second, they strengthen motivation and social-emotional skills.

3.5 Predominant pedagogical approaches

In accordance with pedagogical approaches, the transmedia digital narratives in this study and analysis of the 22 final articles do not follow a single line; on the contrary, they demonstrate that they are subject to different groups of these. In this sense, meaningful learning through gamification, socio-constructivism or collaborative learning, and constructivism stand out; and perpendicularly, transmedia and digital literacy (Medina Téllez Girón, 2022).

To begin with, meaningful learning is highlighted in publications that promote the interactivity of games. These approaches are associated with improved student motivation and self-confidence, by introducing levels, rewards, and missions to be completed within the same narrative. Current research shows that these strategies increase engagement and also help reduce all those factors that affect math learning, thus promoting more playful learning (Bereczki et al., 2024; Drijvers and Sinclair, 2024; Irmayanti et al., 2025). On the other hand, among relevant pedagogical approaches, the importance of collaborative learning shows that transmedia narratives are not only limited to being an individual resource, but also promote the joint construction of knowledge through collective tasks and the shared creation of content. This enhances mathematical understanding and social and communication skills (Ruiz-Bañuls et al., 2021).

Constructivism, within the analysis, constitutes the most recurrent pedagogical approach; it conceives the student as the protagonist of their own learning process. Here, transmedia digital narratives act as mediators, as they allow meanings to be constructed from contextualized and immersive experiences (Albano and Pierri, 2017). In this way, the resolution of mathematical processes can be framed within stories, characters, and narrative contexts, which facilitate conceptual understanding.

Finally, it is important to highlight the cross-cutting nature of the predominant approaches to digital literacy. Lankshear and Knobel (2015) argue that digital literacy should not be understood as a single skill, but rather as a set of practices in which students participate actively, critically, and creatively. This is reaffirmed by Vargas Franco (2015), given that it transcends the instrumental view of technologies. Within the framework of TDN, digital literacy includes productions such as audiovisuals, online communities, and content creation, which in turn enrich mathematical experiences.

In summary, all these approaches show that, due to the use of transmedia digital narratives, a hybrid pedagogical framework is configured, integrating constructivist principles, situated learning, and, of course, digital literacy. This allows for the creation of training experiences that respond to the social, cultural, and cognitive demands of today's education.

3.6 Structure of the research field of transmedia narratives

By applying the Tree of Science (ToS) tool, it was possible to visualize the evolution and structure of the field of research through three components: roots, representing theoretical and conceptual foundations; trunk, grouping methodological consolidation work; and leaves, reflecting research projections and the latest trends.

3.6.1 Roots

One of the most influential contributions to the concept of transmedia narratives is Jenkins (2003), cited by Acuy Rodríguez and Baca Cáceres (2022), who defined it as the ability of a narrative to unfold across different platforms and thus generate expansive learning experiences. His conceptualization is considered the basis on which subsequent research in education has been structured. Similarly, and in a complementary manner, other authors define transmedia narrative as a common experience across different media, audiences, and educational content linked by a narrative thread, broadening the understanding of multimodality in teaching (Schiller, 2018; Scolari, 2014).

Lankshear and Knobel (2015) present contributions that are constitutive of digital literacy, emphasizing in a transcendental way the transformation of cultural and social practices through digital skills and abilities. Similarly, Vargas Franco (2015), from his perspective, highlights the relevance of digital environments, emphasizing them as a space for mediation in the foundation of knowledge with the incorporation of TDNs in the classroom.

3.6.2 Trunk

Rodrígues and Bidarra (2014) emphasize the motivation for creating spaces conducive to educational practices, which is why digital gamification experiences make sense in mathematics learning, as explained in the contributions by Ruiz-Bañuls et al. (2021). However, Runchina and González-Martínez (2022) establish a discussion, highlighting that transmediality as an educational strategy has the potential to transcend the barriers of the school, giving importance to inclusive and, in turn, participatory contexts.

Likewise, within the incorporation of the ToS metaphor, there are studies that empirically document the use of digital storytelling, audiovisual resources, and graphic narratives in different educational contexts (Gomes Pereira and Gabriel Pedro, 2023). This research shows how teaching practice adopts transmedia narratives to promote meaningful learning, strengthening the relationship between pedagogical application and theory.

3.6.3 Branches

Regarding the concept of transmedia narratives and their adaptability in mathematics teaching, studies such as those by Sánchez-Caballé and González-Martínez (2021) point out that this methodology can be integrated with digital literacy, which would imply more relevant learning. Similarly, the impact of digital transmedia narratives on situations such as student participation and motivation distinguish the development of confident math skills through the use of immersive dynamics, as stated by Galicia Martínez (2024).

Irmayanti et al. (2025), on the other hand, highlight the socio-emotional dimension, strengthening students' self-confidence through the acquisition of content via gamification and interactive worlds. Equally important, authors such as Bereczki et al. (2024) and Drijvers and Sinclair (2024), contemporaries in their research, open up the possibility of new pedagogical approaches by pointing out the importance of transmedia narratives in enhancing conceptual understanding in mathematics.

Therefore, the three areas on which the sheets focus, in accordance with the Tree of Science (ToS) methodology, are:

• Strengthening digital and narrative literacy as a cross-curricular skill.

• Integrating immersive and interactive resources that promote student motivation and participation.

• Extending the results to socio-emotional and creative dimensions, beyond traditional cognitive learning.

3.7 Limitations

Although this paper provides a systematic review of the literature on transmedia digital narratives in mathematics education, it is important to recognize the limitations associated with the use of the PRISMA strategy.

To begin with, the search was expanded to include three academic databases (ERIC, WoS, and Scopus), in addition to a specific time range (2014–2024). These databases are widely recognized in the academic field, and although the number of records retrieved from Scopus was minimal, this suggests that relevant studies may not have been captured in other databases or published in non-indexed sources. Similarly, the use of language filters (English and Spanish) resulted in the exclusion of studies in other languages, which limits the multicultural perspective of the topic.

Next, the selection and screening process, in which two independent reviewers participated, did not calculate inter-rater reliability statistics, which may have affected the objectivity of the selection process. that is, despite continuing with clear exclusion and inclusion processes, reading the full text and evaluating titles and abstracts involves judgments by researchers that, although well-founded, may introduce bias in the final selection of articles for analysis. This is relevant when the same article can be approached from an interdisciplinary field, such as education, communication, or technology, and makes clear classification difficult.

On the other hand, another aspect to consider is that the PRISMA methodology only allowed for the identification of 22 articles after the screening process, which represents a small sample size. This may facilitate a detailed analysis, but it limits the possibility of making statistical comparisons or generalizing high-impact trends. In addition to the comparison, the methodologies, populations, and study contexts were so heterogeneous that it was difficult to construct more homogeneous analyses. Although quantitative indicators such as CAGR (compound annual growth rate) and CV (coefficient of variation) were developed, they can only offer an approximation of the evolution of the field. Furthermore, the absence of more complex bibliometric analyses limits the depth of the overview achieved.

In conclusion, the limitations associated with the methodology used in this study invite consideration of research with broader search criteria, the inclusion of other databases and different languages that combine systematic review with more advanced bibliometric approaches. These criteria will allow for a broader and more complete view of the development of transmedia digital narratives in mathematics education.

4 Discussion

The findings presented in this systematic review have allowed us to reflect on the importance of the role of transmedia digital narratives in mathematics teaching in educational contexts, their implications in pedagogy, theory, and methodology. Sánchez-Caballé and González-Martínez (2023) state that, although there is interest in the scientific community, it is difficult to find a single understanding of the concept. On the other hand, Jenkins (2003), cited in Acuy Rodríguez and Baca Cáceres (2022), introduces the concept of “transmedia narratives” for the first time, stating that transmedia narratives are able to unfold across various media, which allows for the construction of knowledge in an interactive and expansive manner. Thus, there is evidence of uneven evolution in scientific production in the assigned time frame (2014–2024), with peaks in publication in specific years such as 2022 and 2024, and periods where there was no production, such as 2019, 2020, and 2023. This reflects that this field is still in consolidation, which coincides with what Freire-Sánchez et al. (2023) point out, who highlight transmedia narratives as a growing field, still in search of conceptual and methodological frameworks.

Unlike standalone digital tools, transmedia digital narratives function as integrative pedagogical frameworks that can be incorporated into existing educational models, such as design thinking, project-based learning, and inquiry-based approaches. While design thinking refers to iterative problem solving and creative ideation, transmedia narratives provide the narrative and multimodal structure through which these processes can be carried out in a meaningful way. This allows teachers to adopt transmedia practices gradually, without disrupting established curricular frameworks, while improving student engagement and conceptual understanding.

According to the types of transmedia narratives identified in the analysis, the prevalence of digital storytelling, comics, gamification, and all multimodal audiovisual resources confirms the findings of Acuy Rodríguez and Baca Cáceres (2022), who point to the benefits of transmedia narratives in conceptual understanding and in the development of creativity and digital literacy. However, in the case of mathematics, these studies highlight that the type of narrative is not neutral; that is, while digital storytelling and comics favor conceptual understanding, gamification and interactive worlds are more associated with motivation, interest, and participation (Bereczki et al., 2024; Drijvers and Sinclair, 2024; Galicia Martínez, 2024; Irmayanti et al., 2025; Ruiz-Bañuls et al., 2021). The comparative analysis of the 22 studies summarized in Appendix A reveals that transmedia digital narratives are not a homogeneous pedagogical strategy, but rather a family of approaches with differentiated educational functions. Storytelling and comics are most often associated with conceptual understanding and symbolic interpretation in mathematics, especially in areas such as algebra and geometry, while gamification and interactive transmedia worlds tend to be linked to motivation, engagement, and persistence. Audiovisual and multimedia resources, in turn, function as cognitive scaffolds that support multimodal representation and access to mathematical ideas. This differentiation helps explain why transmedia narratives should be understood not only as technological enhancements, but as pedagogical designs that align specific narrative forms with specific learning objectives.

With regard to learning outcomes, the systematic review revealed a division between, on the one hand, cognitive improvements in the application and understanding of mathematical concepts, for example, in the teaching of geometry, the use of comics and graphic narratives allows abstract spatial concepts to be represented visually and sequentially, which helps students interpret geometric shapes, transformations, and relationships (Acuy Rodríguez and Baca Cáceres, 2022; Ruiz-Bañuls et al., 2021). In the case of algebra, storytelling facilitates the contextualization of symbolic representations by integrating reasoning into narrative structures that emphasize problematic situations, characters, and logical progression (Albano and Dello Iacono, 2019; Galicia Martínez, 2024; Sánchez-Caballé and González-Martínez, 2023). Finally, gamification and interactive environments appear to be particularly effective in promoting probabilistic reasoning, data set exploration, decision-making, and feedback within simulated scenarios (Bereczki et al., 2024; Drijvers and Sinclair, 2024; Freire-Sánchez et al., 2023; Irmayanti et al., 2025).

On the other hand, it contributes to the socio-emotional dimension, such as student motivation and self-confidence. This division connects with the idea of transmedia literacy proposed by Medina Téllez Girón (2022), which emphasizes that active participation in multimodal narratives (Djonov and Tseng, 2021) generates learning that goes beyond the disciplinary, that is, skills are formed in other areas.

Similarly, in terms of pedagogical approaches, there is evidence of a convergence between situated learning, constructivism, and digital literacies, that is, these approaches form a hybrid framework recognizing the importance of authentic and collaborative contexts. Authors such as Lankshear and Knobel (2015) and Vargas Franco (2015) conclude that transmedia narratives should not only be understood from a technical perspective, but also from a social and cultural perspective, which explains the importance of integrating them into mathematics teaching. Castañeda (2023), for his part, indicates that this hybrid framework could not be developed without the active role of the teacher, who is capable of designing transmedia experiences (Albano and Dello Iacono, 2019; Gomes Pereira and Gabriel Pedro, 2023).

The geographical diversity of the reviewed studies suggests that transmedia narratives are highly adaptable to different cultural and educational contexts. Rather than representing a fixed pedagogical model, transmedia practices are shaped by local curricular traditions, technological infrastructures, and cultural storytelling practices, which enables their contextualized integration into mathematics education across regions.

At the same time, it is also necessary to consider the dimension of educational sustainability that goes hand in hand with transmedia narratives. Sánchez-Caballé and González-Martínez (2021) highlight that mathematics experiences with transmedia approaches tend to be found in the early stages of education and that, although they are aligned with SDG 4 (Sustainable Development Goal) on quality education, they fail to address environmental sustainability in the use of technologies. This allows us to broadly address the dispute over the urgency of integrating, in addition to student motivation and digital literacy, an ethical commitment to the use of technological resources, emphasizing that the main transformative axis of these proposals is based on their ability to articulate with learning communities and inclusive and accessible environments, This connects with the analysis of the socio-emotional and cognitive dimensions of TDNs in mathematics.

In summary, this systematic review of the literature on transmedia digital narratives in mathematics education confirms the evidence of the transformative potential of this methodology when combined with innovative processes, with results that encompass different dimensions: cognitive, socio-emotional, and digital. In addition, it highlights the urgency of strengthening all empirical evidence in order to move toward more consolidated models in this emerging field at the intersection of mathematics, pedagogy, and digital culture. Runchina and González-Martínez (2022) highlight transmedia learning as a valuable tool and an innovative aspect for students' educational success, improving teaching practices by promoting personalization, collaboration, and motivation in learning, even if this involves overcoming barriers such as teachers and logistics.

5 Conclusions

Transmedia digital narratives in mathematics education, although still in their infancy, have attracted considerable interest in recent years, showing moderate and discontinuous growth, thus confirming their emerging nature in mathematics education and digital culture. Using the PRISMA methodology, it was possible to identify trends, contributions, and limitations in the use of transmedia narratives, which meets the objectives set for this study.

The data selected in the structural analysis grid showed that there is no single dominant type of transmedia narrative; rather, there is a plurality of proposals, which may respond to different contexts and educational levels. This allows us to conclude that TDNs offer flexibility in adapting to diverse pedagogical needs, although the results differ according to the resource used. In addition, based on the learning outcomes documented repeatedly in the articles analyzed, two dimensions were identified, cognitive and socio-emotional, whose impact is linked to the strengthening of cross-cutting skills with learning.

In any case, design thinking (DT) supports transmedia digital narratives (TDN) by focusing on the creation of innovative learning strategies for students, focusing on their needs, but strengthening creativity and empathy in educational solutions in a collaborative manner. In other words, according to the findings presented, the incorporation of DT into TDN opens up the possibility of encouraging motivation and innovation in the teaching and learning of mathematical concepts.

Finally, the selected articles confirm that the incorporation of TDN transcends the use of digital tools and is understood more as a cultural and social practice in which the student is the main protagonist of the educational process. This is based on the approaches identified: constructivism, situated learning, and digital literacies. However, the evidence in the corpus is still fragmentary, making it essential to continue researching in order to consolidate more solid theoretical frameworks that support systematic implementation in diverse educational contexts. Future research should prioritize the development of standardized design frameworks for transmedia-based mathematics education, teacher training programs focused on transmedia literacy, and the integration of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and learning analytics. Longitudinal and experimental studies are also needed to examine sustained learning outcomes and implementation fidelity across educational contexts.

Data availability statement

The original contributions presented in the study are included in the article/supplementary material, further inquiries can be directed to the corresponding authors.

Author contributions

JO: Conceptualization, Methodology, Writing – original draft, Formal analysis, Writing – review & editing. ÁS: Investigation, Data curation, Writing – review & editing. DB: Validation, Visualization, Writing – review & editing.

Funding

The author(s) declared that financial support was received for this work and/or its publication. This research has been funded by the General Directorate of Investigations of Universidad Santiago de Cali under call No. DGI 01.2026.

Conflict of interest

The author(s) declared that this work was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Generative AI statement

The author(s) declared that generative AI was not used in the creation of this manuscript.

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Supplementary material

The Supplementary Material for this article can be found online at: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2025.1719806/full#supplementary-material

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