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In light of the COVID-19 pandemic that has resulted in several countries being locked down, there has been a paradigm shift in terms of learning worldwide. As a result, educational institutions in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have acted swiftly and shifted from face to-face education to distance learning. Thus, this study investigated high school students' perspectives on the distance learning of mathematics. The research employed a quantitative method using a developed and validated online survey. The convenience sampling consisted of 580 high school students in Al Ain. Descriptive statistical analysis of the mean and standard deviation of scores was used and then interpreted based on Gagné's rating (1991). In general, the results showed that the students had an ambivalent view of their distance learning experience. Notably, students' most negative perceptions were about missing the interaction with teachers and colleagues, and disapproving of the unfavourably long screen times. Furthermore, 78.3% of the participants showed no preference for choosing to study mathematics by distance learning in the future, given a choice. This study has extra relevance since the process of distance learning has become more prevalent in the UAE owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, it is imperative that educational institutions try to understand the complexity and embedded nature of distance learning, and the challenges encountered by students while they are studying mathematics in an online environment.

Gifted education has received attention all over the world, including the UAE, because of its significant contribution to economic investment. This quantitative study aimed to describe and analyze mathematics teachers' perceptions of teaching gifted learners in general education classrooms in the UAE. The survey consisted of 19 statements on a 5-point Likert scale, with a sample of 66 teachers. The analysis of the results concerned two factors: teacher competency, and perceptions of the effectiveness of gifted learner programs. The results showed generally positive attitudes toward gifted education, and more specifically teachers showed positive perceptions toward their competency to teach gifted students, while they mostly held negative perceptions regarding the effectiveness of gifted programs. In addition, teaching level (cycle 1, cycle 2, cycle 3) impacted teacher perceptions regarding their competency to teach gifted students and the applied gifted programs in their schools. However, a broader study not limited to Al Ain city teachers would provide results that are more informative.

The following systematic review strives to explore the mere integration of ChatGPT within mathematics education, analyzing its impact on teacher assistance and student learning. Google Scholar was utilized as the primary database due to its extensive coverage of academic articles and journals in various disciplines. Through the following preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analysis (PRISMA) framework, thirty-one studies are evaluated through thematic analysis table. The findings revealed that ChatGPT’s potential is dynamic and versatile when it comes to improving personalized learning, and student engagement. Specifically, the findings suggest that the incorporation of ChatGPT offers diversified responses, facilitating lesson planning, student support and answering questions. Additional findings indicate that ChatGPT lead to improvements in learning motivations among students, however, it does struggle to answer complicated or difficult mathematical questions which showcase limitations in specific topics such as spatial geometry and derivatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]