Critical thinking development in mathematics education from an inclusive education perspective: A systematic literature review using PRISMA methodology

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to analyze the role of critical thinking in the development of mathematical skills within the context of inclusive education, through a systematic review of the literature based on the PRISMA guidelines.  The review was conducted using a qualitative approach to document analysis and followed the phases of identification, screening, eligibility, and inclusion. The search was conducted in the indexed databases Scopus, Redalyc, SciELO, and Dialnet, considering articles published between 2020 and 2025. The inclusion criteria considered peer-reviewed empirical and theoretical studies related to critical thinking, inclusive education, and mathematics teaching, while duplicate documents and studies without thematic relevance were excluded. The selection process identified emerging categories linked to critical thinking as a mediator of mathematical learning, the use of inclusive pedagogical strategies, and contextualized problem solving. The results showed that the integration of critical thinking promotes logical reasoning, decision-making, and the active participation of students with diverse educational needs. Therefore, it can be inferred that the systematic incorporation of critical thinking into the mathematics curriculum contributes to improving educational quality and strengthening practices.