Research on innovative teaching methods in mathematics in Hong Kong SAR, China and Mainland China: A scoping review

In the wave of global mathematics curriculum reforms initiated in the new millennium, fostering 21st-century skills has emerged as a key educational objective in both Mainland China and Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), China. Correspondingly, these societies in China have revised their mathematics curricula to reflect this paradigm shift. This scoping review examines trends and innovations in mathematics teaching methodologies over the past two decades within these locales. We analysed peer-reviewed journal articles published from 2000 to 2022 that focus on mathematics education in Mainland China and Hong Kong SAR. Our findings highlight a variety of reform-oriented pedagogical approaches adopted in each region, including inquiry-based learning, flipped classroom, problem-based learning, and technology-enhanced learning. We discuss the similarities and differences, as well as the controversies and challenges associated with these methods. Additionally, the review considers the adaptation of mathematics pedagogy to address new challenges and demands in the context of recent educational reform. The insights gleaned offer a deeper understanding of innovative mathematics pedagogies and inform the implementation of new curricula and teaching strategies in these two regions. Furthermore, our research may serve as a valuable reference for mathematics curriculum reform and the advancement of effective mathematics instruction elsewhere. Copyright © 2025 selection and editorial matter, Timo Ehmke and John Chi-Kin Lee; individual chapters, the contributors.