Application of AI Chatbots in Self-Directed Mathematics Teaching: A Literature Review on Opportunities, Challenges, and Pedagogical Implications

Abstract

Artificial intelligence, particularly AI Chatbots, is bringing about significant transformations in mathematics education methods. Through a literature review approach, this paper analyzes the opportunities and challenges, and proposes pedagogical directions when integrating AI Chatbots into self-directed mathematics teaching environments. The synthesized results reveal that AI Chatbots not only support learners in their cognitive processes but also contribute to establishing a psychologically safe learning environment. This tool enables students to learn at their own pace, reduces repetitive calculations to allow a greater focus on higher-order mathematical thinking, and simultaneously fosters metacognition through the development of prompt engineering skills. Despite these benefits, the application of AI in education still presents numerous challenges. Learners may become overly dependent on AI and gradually develop a distorted perception of their own self-learning capabilities, while teachers also encounter significant difficulties in managing and controlling the teaching process. To overcome these limitations, the study proposes three pedagogical directions: transitioning to a human-AI collaboration model in teaching, implementing reverse pedagogical practicums, and notably, exploiting AI errors to create situations that help students hone their reasoning and develop critical thinking skills. Overall, AI can only truly maximize its effectiveness in education when utilized in conjunction with an appropriate pedagogical strategy that has a clear orientation and is actively orchestrated by the educator.